


Perhaps in Another Lifetime

by goddessHAX



Series: Perhaps in Another Lifetime [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Bondage, Character Death, Dark, Drama, Drugged Sex, Explicit Sexual Content, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, Plot Twists, Psychological Drama, Rape/Non-con Elements, Romance, S&M, Threesome - M/M/M, Tokyo (City), True Love, Yaoi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-03
Updated: 2014-05-25
Packaged: 2018-01-07 06:17:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 18
Words: 79,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1116496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddessHAX/pseuds/goddessHAX
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an unfortunate event ripped Sasuke's life away within Naruto's grasp, Itachi used the hidden powers of the sharingan to transport themselves to another world in order to save Sasuke, but what will happen was not what Itachi was expecting at all. Mystery surrounds Itachi's lies, Naruto's past, and Sasuke's search for the truth. NaruSasu/SasuNaru</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. (Prologue) Of What We Feared Most...

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Prologue Warning- ONLY IN PROLOGUE (Orochimaru x Sasuke): Extremely graphic sexual contents. BDSM, rape, gore, torture, emotional torment...
> 
> BUT! Please don't runaway just yet!
> 
> * If you feel like you cannot stomach contents of the warning, you can still get the story by reading the last 2000 or so words of the prologue (exactly 3/4 ways down) and be on top of the story without the graphicness (I went back to edit it so that it could be read in this manner). It's a long prologue because originally this was going to be a stand-alone fic with chapters, but I have condensed it to 8k+ words *o*;;
> 
> This chapter is the prologue to a longer NaruSasu(Main pairing) fic with a lot of Itachi and Sasuke brotherly love, angst, mystery, and twists. It is not a standard SasuNaru where their relationship will drive the plot, but rather, the plot drives their relationship. It will have a very unpredictable ending...
> 
> Other pairings include (con and/or non-con), but not limited to: SasuNaru (I use this interchangeably), ShisuItachi, ItaSasu, OroSasu, MadaraxItachi, Nagato & Yahiko x Sasuke, and secret spoiler pairings :)
> 
> PS: I don't own any of the images in the fic! I found them on google images ^_^;; If you are the artist and would like me to take it down, please send me a PM and I will do so immediately! I left the signature/credit on the picture and didn't edit it out. Thank you so much for the pic as they do inspire the fic in a visual way :)
> 
> This is my first fanfic! So please go easy on me! Anyways, enjoy~~~

  _ **Perhaps in Another Lifetime**_

* * *

 

_Tap tap tap tap tap…_

Desperate footsteps echoes like the beating of a drum as hurried feet raced down the underground labyrinth, Orochimaru's infamous hideout.

_Tick tock tick…_

The clock was ticking away at each second, not having slight a hint of ever slowing down.  _It couldn't slow down even if you wanted it to._

After all, time waits for no one, and you were born running out of time.

 

* * *

**Prologue and** **Chapter 1**

**"Of What We Feared Most..."**

** **

* * *

Warm breaths hit the cool underground air as the moisture rushed back to chill against their faces; tired faces and tired eyes that haven't had a good night sleep for a while. The heavy breath continued to shiver as they escaped their dry lips, lips that have been quivering with fear and anticipation - for days now, for years. How long was it? Yes, _years_. 3 years. The last 3 years had passed by too slowly, each day waiting was in itself rewarding, because of the extra training, but at the same time agonizing…

_What is Sasuke doing now?_

Where is he…?

_I wonder if he's ok…._

Would he think about me as well?

_Is he safe?_

Why Sasuke?

These were the thoughts that ran through Naruto's head everyday ever since Sasuke deserted the Leaf on that fateful day. At first, they were just after-thoughts, then every night, the voices will accuse him again and again for not having enough power to bring Sasuke back. He trained harder, for his own sake and for Sasuke's sake. To save his… best friend.

_That's what they are. Best friends… right?_

He blamed himself for everything. Every night he blamed and every night he questioned himself.

Tsunade, the newly appointed fifth hokage had said that the "pervert Orochimaru" wanted Sasuke's young body for himself.  _What does that even mean?_  That eerie feeling in the pits of his stomach had never let up.

Feet that has been chasing for days, still hung on to the last of their hope, continuing to move along the cold ground.

_Tap tap tap…_

It was so close, they can practically feel Sasuke. They were so damn close. There will be no turning around today. The trio, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai, was going to bring Sasuke back today.  _Today_. Not any  _more_ other days. This fucked up waiting game has got to stop.

"Naruto," Sakura stopped in her tracks to catch her breath, "I… feel Sasuke's chakra. This was familiar. It's him; I know it's him." With one hand on her knees panting, she wiped the sweat on her large forehead away with the other.

"My rats found something…" Sai looked to the right and then to the left. "He's this way" He ran off, going ahead first and signaling for the others to follow behind him.

Naruto couldn't speak. He would usually be the first to speak his mind, but he did not have the will power to speak aloud this time. He wanted so badly to tell his team mates that he didn't feel right. Something, just  _something_ , did not feel right at all. Call it a hunch if you might, he couldn't "warn" his teammates. What good will it do? Telling them that danger was ahead?  _That's silly._

They signed up knowing danger was ahead.

They signed up knowing time is…  _has_  been running out.

"This door!" Sai arrived at the front of a large iron door. He slowed down just enough to stop short of bursting through the door. He leaned in to listen. "Sasuke is inside. What is the plan of action?"

"We go in, rescue Sasuke, and kill Orochimaru." Naruto walked straight up the door and pushed right in, not the best plan of action nor was it discreet, but it was Naruto, and there was no arguing with him when it comes to rescuing Sasuke. Perhaps in another life, he will definitely not have been a ninja. He was best suited not to be a ninja (a ninja's job being discreet and all). They can only follow behind him, and maybe clean up after his mess, again, if probable. "Sasuke!"

The room was dark saved for the few candles that lit up the musky room. Taking perhaps the world's longest couple of seconds to adjust to the darkness of the room, they finally could clearly see their surroundings, and it was not the most optimistic sight. Weighting on the worn-out leather straps dangled from the ceiling was Sasuke. And he was striped completely of his clothes.

"Sasuke!" Screaming his name once again had caught his attention. His head jolted up in response to his name, but turned his head away as if it was to avoid their gazes burning into his naked body. He couldn't see them, but he felt ashamed, as the Sharingan Sealing Scroll was wrapped around his eyes to prevent him from using it against Orochimaru. The man took all the necessary precautions.

He couldn't face his old teammates now that he was like… this…

Sasuke's hands were bound by the straps that held him up at the ceiling, and two more sets of straps held his thighs up independently. Various cut and bruises were on his body and a pool of blood gathered on floor right below him. This was not good. Naruto knew it, but all the while he hope his hunch was dead wrong.

"Boys and girls from the Hidden Leave, long time no see." Someone that they previously did not noticed appeared from behind a dusty purple crushed-velvet curtain. It was that familiar snake charmer (monster, some called him), but his pace was slow and steady, unlike the beats of their hearts. "How do you like what I've done with Sasuke-kun? Isn't he beautiful? Who could have thought blood would look so good against his perfectly fair skin? Who would have thought…" He paused behind Sasuke and cupped his hands around the boy's face and licked the blood off where the curse seal was. "…he would taste so delectable." His lips curved up into a smirk that they are all too familiar with, "…  _All_ of him..." Bringing his cold hands from Sasuke's lower back to between his milky thighs, he wiped a slither of blood that was dripping down with his finger and licked it off with his long snake-like tongue, tasting it, indulging in it. He licked his lips, and sighed followed by an excited moan escaped from his lips. Sasuke's blood smeared against the corner of his mouth, as if it was taunting them to go forth to do something about it. "… if you know what I mean."

Sakura dropped to her knees. She thought she could handle it, but tears poured out for Sasuke. She was shaking.

_How could this be? If I only had stopped Sasuke back then, none of this would have…_

She doesn't want to look at Sasuke. She couldn't. Seeing him weak and controlled by that evil snake pervert… made her weak. She feared for her life. _If that happened to Sasuke and he was so strong, then…_  "S-sasuke…kun…"

Naruto just about had it. The white of his knuckle cannot turn any whiter from the clenching of his fists. He felt his skin boiled up to reveal a demon fox cloak with three tails, and he would gladly let the fiery chakra take over his body if it meant for payback. His eyes turned into a red shade of pure demon fox hatred. A tear escaped from his eyes that was quickly burned away by the heat emitting from the cloak. It was not out of fear or hopelessness. It was out of power. It was out of friendship. It was out of love and burned with passion. Seeing his friend hurt had only made him stronger.

_It's now or never, Uzumaki Naruto, that's me!_

He dashed head-on towards Orochimaru with all his power, only to be caught by a glass container with a special seal-like writing that fell on top of him. His head hit the glass and his demon cloak disappeared. "What.. What is this!?"

"Silly fox, I excavated the seal from the ruins of the Uzumaki village designed just to seal the demon fox and its powers. I prepared this just for you, Naruto-kun..." Just then another glass cage with another seal fell on top of Sai and Sakura, trapping them inside, "And this one will absorb your chakra and give them to me, for my body to… well, why don't I show you?"

The sannin reached up to Sasuke's neck and squeezed it, loving the melodic sound of Sasuke chocking.

"No… S-stop…" Sasuke chocked out between gasps. "Pleas-se… d-don't…"

"Why, because you're embarrassed that your friend will finally get to see me rape you?" He asked curiously, as if that wasn't the natural reaction. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. I'm not so heartless as to not let him feel you the way I felt you for these three years."

Orochimaru stomped on the ground once, two other seals were burned on the glass containers; the same seal also appeared on Orochimaru's back. "With this seal, your friend there will get to feel what I feel when I penetrate you." He drew circles on Sasuke's shoulder with his fingers. "They will know how good you feel. They will feel…  _everything_." His long slimy tongue licked Sasuke's bruised cheek, the taste of his salty sweat lingered sweetly on his tongue, "but admit it, you wanted him to feel you like that..." A smirk played across his lips. "right?"

Orochimaru put his two thumbs between Sasuke's butt cheeks and roughly spread it open. Sasuke winced in pain. "Let's show your friends what a whore you've become." Rotating Sasuke around on the straps, his entrance was now spread open facing Team 7 leaving nothing to the imagination. Sakura screamed and covered her eyes. Orochimaru pulled his cheeks further apart revealing the pink abused anus with dried cum around its rim. The man's shaft was hard from seeing that beautiful sight. He groaned. Sai and Naruto were speechless. They knew if they had looked away, Orochimaru might use that opportunity to attack them. Someone had to protect Sakura _._  Naruto would protect Sakura with his life and keep her as innocent as possible, even sacrificing his own.

They really wanted to look away.

Sai and Naruto felt warm, their members rose to attention against their will.  _Is this what Orochimaru was talking about? Feeling what he was feeling? The sick bastard!_

Pinching hard and spreading Sasuke's cheeks probably left some more bruises to the collection that was already there. Orochimaru lifted one hand in the air while coming down swiftly, slapped Sasuke across his bottom cheeks. Sasuke winced in pain and struggled, but he didn't cry. Sasuke always try his best not to show weakness. He hit Sasuke's bottom again with his hand until it turned even more pink from the contact.

Naruto and Sai's members only continued to get harder as Orochimaru assaulted Sasuke who was helplessly restrained to the straps.  _How did Sasuke get like this? He was strong wasn't he?_  And now, their hands turn slightly pink as well. They felt the skin-on-skin impact and the way Sasuke's soft skin had felt under Orochimaru's hand. It was like as if they were there participating in it themselves. He felt sick.

Sai looked over at his hand, it felt sore. He squeezed the palm of his hand to try to overpower the feeling, but it wouldn't leave.

Orochimaru spread Sasuke's cheeks open again and insert three fingers in him, twisting his finger around his abused hole not caring if he was prepared for it or not. Sasuke bit his bottom lip to subdue his scream. He will not let this man hear him scream today.  _He will try his best though..._  The man darted his fingers in and out of his hole until the rim broke, letting the old wounds reopen. Droplet of blood seeped from the crease of his tight ring.

Naruto looked down on his hand, his fingers were shaking, almost as if they are not under his control. He felt it. Sasuke's ring of muscle clamping down on his fingers. The wet and slickness of his tight hole. Naruto couldn't think. He felt it. He couldn't stop it. He felt helpless. He needed to save Sasuke, but his mind was clouded. He couldn't think. His body felt too hot and bothered to do something about it. He wanted his body to listen to him.

That time is now... but it was not happening.

Orochimaru grabbed one of Sasuke's ankles and lifted one of his legs up so it was no longer resting on the straps, Sasuke's half limp cock flopped once in front of the older man. "We can't have this, Sasuke-kun… How about- if I let you feel yourself too?" Closing his eyes for a second and opening them again, the same seal on Orochimaru's back burned onto Sasuke's back just like the way the glass cages were sealed. "You will now be able to feel the pleasure of me, fucking you." The pale gentleman lifted his cloak to reveal a large veiny cock, its pink head swelling and dripping with pre-cum in anticipation. Still holding one of Sasuke's legs in the air and facing him, he slammed into Sasuke's sweet fuck hole in one motion, burying the entire length of his cock in the cock whore.

Sasuke couldn't prepare himself for what he was feeling and screamed from the pain and the pleasure; the pleasure of feeling Orochimaru's abuse on his own body caused by the special seal.

Pulling back from Sasuke, he slammed back into his victim again with full force, groaning in pleasure at Sasuke's tight ass and young body every single time. A scream pour out from Sasuke's mouth again, unable to catch himself; saliva and blood escaped the corner of his mouth. Wanting to hear more of that beautiful sound, he slammed hard into the body again and again, faster and faster, harder and pounding, gripping and pounding. Orochimaru took a moment to glance over at his experimental subjects, Team 7.

Naruto collapsed to the floor and fell on his knees, both hands cupping his groin and trying not to let tears escape, but it felt so good. He felt so dirty, but Sasuke's ass really felt so  _damn_  good. Naruto was a virgin and never in the remote parts of his mind would think this was what sex feels like (without really participating in it).

For years, he tried to convince himself to like Sakura. After all, what's not to like? She was a beautiful strong female, and she was right within reach, most of all, she cared for him and recognized him as her teammate. It was natural and it was a perfect fairytale story ending for the hero of the Hidden Leave. He had his dream all planned out. He will marry Sakura and become the Hokage and Sasuke will…  _And Sasuke will be…_  And this is where his future planning always came to a halt.

What about Sasuke? For years, he also tried to deny any intense feelings related to Sasuke. He doesn't know what it was, but convinced himself it was merely of brotherly love. He remembered staying up all night, every night for a month, crying silently to himself after Sasuke had ran away to the Sound. He remembered fighting Sasuke at the waterfall. He remembered every single punch and every single technique, replaying in his mind over and over again what he could have done differently to win. He also remembered how Sasuke protected him and held him in his arms when enemy ninjas attacked from before. How come he couldn't think about Sakura in the same way?

In all of the shinobi and samurai countries, not only was same sex love forbidden and punishable by death or sealing, it happened very rarely and only among Missing Nins. Actually, that was the reason why some of them went missing in the first place. _Like Zabuza and Haku?_  Therefore, it never crossed his mind that his feelings for Sasuke could be… of  _love_? Or was even as a possibility...

"Arr.. hmmmp..!" Naruto felt another wave of pleasure invade his body through his cock. He can feel Sasuke's passage becoming slicker and wetter with his own blood, yet remaining so  _so_  tight. His hands cupped harder at his groin, helpless as he was overcame by this sickening sexual pleasure at the expense of his… friend.  _  
_

Sai leaned against the wall and his knees grew weak as he slowly slit down from the glass wall, closing his eyes, he let his sweat drip down from his brow, trying his best to push this repulsive pleasure from out of himself. _I'm emotionless_. He kept telling himself that, but to no anvil.  _I'm emotionless_. Sai groaned as he felt an intense grip on his member tighten even more. The tightness pumped at his member languidly.  _I don't feel._ He tried to be as silent as possible, but that had caught Sakura's attention.

Sakura uncovered her eyes and turned toward Sai, trying to avoid seeing Sasuke that was in front of her. Sai crawled over to Sakura's side quickly and covered her eyes with his shaking hands. "Sakura, cover your eyes please. I don't want you to see me… and to see Sasuke…"

"What's going on? I don't get it!" More tears fell from her eyes.

"For my sake, please cover and close your eyes. Don't open your eyes no matter what. Trust me, Sakura." Sai moved Sakura's hands over to cover her own face as he fell to the floor in a thump. "Do you trust me, Sakura-chan? Do you trust... us?" He felt like he was the one being raped and he couldn't control the way his body feels. He felt embarrassed to be in the presence of an innocent girl with a raging hard-on in his tight pants. He fell to the ground on his side, just like Naruto, cupping and pushing down on his member, trying desperately for it to calm down. That would have been effective if the feelings in his body were up to him though, but of course, it was up to Orochimaru's desires. All he could do was to control his breathing and to squeeze his eyes shut; trying very hard not to make a sound. He doesn't want Sakura to hear his sex moans. It was embarrassing enough for him as it was.

 _Oh, so it's not affecting the kunoichi…_  Orochimaru thought to himself. This seal must only affect the user of the same sex. It's not like she's got a penis or anything, so…  _hmmm…_

He continued his assault to Sasuke's entrance by turning him around and fucking him from the back, one hand chocking his neck. A new wave of unwanted pain and unwanted pleasure filled Sasuke's body. He felt like he could no longer hold on. His hope was dangling like a thread about to break. For all the times Orochimaru used him, this time has to be the most brutal. That son of a bitch probably saved it on purpose to show his friends.

"Naruto-kun," Orochimaru paused what he was doing and turned to speak to Naruto, who upon hearing his name looked up at Orochimaru with hatred in his eyes. "You don't hate me enough. I also have what I'm about to do in mind for you. You're familiar with shadow clones right? Well… I can also do this… Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Two more shadow clones of Orochimaru baring the same seal on his back appeared, one holding a kunai while the other stood aloft, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "We are going to make sure you boys enjoy the maximum pleasure one can get from this whore." Instead of chocking Sasuke now, he yanked Sasuke's hair back with his free hand. "You will scream and moan for me you little bitch." One of the clones took out a kunai and cut the straps tying Sasuke's hands up. He instantaneously fell forward, flipping over upside down, legs in the air, elbows hitting the ground, leather straps still holding his thighs up.

"Hmmp! W-what's happening?!" Sasuke tried to crawl away, reaching and feeling a solid floor, even knowing his thighs were still restrained. "L-let me go, you sick bastard!"

Orochimaru let his hardness dive into Sasuke's hole again while holding onto Sasuke's sides and fucking him. Sasuke tried desperately to crawl away, digging his nails into the ground in front of him.

Sasuke tried to rip the Seal of Shanringan off of his eyes but it was enforced with a special jutsu so it can only be removed by the user. One of Orochimaru's clones pulled Sasuke's head up by his hair and rammed his cock into the boy's mouth. "Chock on this, whore." The other clone came up next to Orochimaru and tried to stick his cock in Sasuke's entrance. "Damn, you're so tight Sasuke-kun. I will need to try harder." Taking his finger and sticking it in, he pulled Sasuke's ass hole wider to accommodate for the second cock to ram in.

Sasuke screamed and chocked on Orochimaru's clone's cock, uncontrollable tears started to fall from his eyes from the sudden invasion of pain. He whimpered some more as if it would do any good. His whole body was covered with sweat and wouldn't stop shaking. He could break down at any moment.  _Crying is not breaking down._  Crying is not breaking down. _I'm not crying because I'm weak. It really… hurts._

Naruto and Sai both groaned at the same time as the second Orochimaru entered Sasuke. The things the shadow clones experienced had only raised the pleasure exponentially. No wonder Orochimaru said it was for Naruto. Naruto knew damn well that whatever shadow clones experienced, the user will also experienced, and the feeling only tripled. It was tightness that was purely mind blowing, mind fucking... mouth fucking, double cock fucking...  _Oh, It felt so good._  He couldn't think straight. Sasuke's warm mouth, his tongue felt so slick and wonderful. Naruto was flushed and drenched in sweat, pleasure taking over every nerve in his muscles as he fell completely to the floor, weak from he invasion of pleasure. It was so wrong. Naruto hated this feeling but his body would not listen to him.

"Oh come on, Sasuke-kun. We tried this before already. Are you upset because there is not enough cock in you?" The Orochimaru clone that was in Sasuke's mouth pulled out of him and smirked. Sasuke spat on the floor. The third clone positioned himself at Sasuke's entrance wanting to be let in as well, but Sasuke was already stretched to his limit and was about to pass out. "Don't worry we can fix that." The clone took out the kunai again and aimed the sharp part at Sasuke's rim, with one swift movement he tear away at Sasuke's ring and made a cut. Sasuke cried out at the searing hot pain, but he was not afraid anymore, he was prepared to die. Sasuke's hole now has one cut on the side. The third clone laughed as he slammed into the cut side of the hole, the hole ripped further apart as more blood gushed out and bubbled at his entrance. Orochimaru and his two shadow clones slit in and out of Sasuke, pounding with all of their strength. Sasuke pain-filled scream echoed in the room, his sobs increased as he clawed at the floor until his finger tips turned bloody, etching bloody streaks on the floor.

Sai turned to his other side and groaned loudly, no longer able to control his moaning as the third cock entered Sasuke. It was so hot and so tight like he had never felt before. The blood rushing to his head was intense, for the first time in his life, he felt color on his cheeks. "Oh Sasuke…! Hmmph!" He gave into himself, unable to control the words that came out of his mouth. "Yes… no… no… stop, ughhh!" Twitching and whimpering from the pleasure as words fell out of his lips without his consent, "So… g-good…", never letting go of his painful groin that needed to be released badly. He felt terrible like he was in part in raping Sasuke, but it just felt, "...so…good…" Sai threw up.

"Sai… are you… ok? I'm scare, Sai." That brought Sai somewhat back to his sense. Sakura's tears did not cease to fall. She froze. She hate to feel helpless, but Sai said not to open her eyes and kept them covered and closed. She trusted her teammates' judgment, whatever it might be, "I'm scare, Naruto… Sasuke! Naruto! Sai! I'm scare!" She tried really hard to hang onto that hope that was beginning to fall apart, but all she could do was to call out to her teammates. Her tears burned with such an intensity that had her eyeballs boiled at the pressure of her tears squeezing out from her sockets.

"Sasuke-kun, when I'm done with you, maybe I'll try on your friend there? He looks tight as hell, and... more innocent than you?" Orochimaru licked the back on his thigh, "How many cocks do you think Naruto would like in him? Three? Four…? Five?" He laughed as he continued his rape as he thrust between each word spoken.

The pain ripping through Sasuke's body has reached its limits. Sasuke knew and had accepted his fate. Right now, with the last of his breath, he only wanted to save Naruto. Naruto was the light to his dark life. Ever since Itachi murdered their entire clan, he can feel nothing but hatred and darkness. Naruto… just something about him, rescued Sasuke from completely drowning in that endless abyss.

It wasn't too long after his entire family was murdered, he was sitting alone by the dock, just thinking of ending it all there. He could jump in, drown, never to feel this pain of having his bonds ripped away from him again. He had made up his mind to commit suicide at such a young age. He wanted nothing to do with the living world anymore. He just wanted to be with his mother… father, the friendly old lady that would always knit him ugly scarfs, and all the friendly Uchihas that lived in their village. The living world was painful enough as it was. Just when he had made up his mind, walking behind him was Naruto, just another kid from his class. He cannot resist insulting Naruto, so he did. Naruto insulted him back, but smiled back at him as he walked away. Naruto was the light that saved him from drowning that fateful day when he made up his mind to die. He felt like history was ironically repeating itself, Naruto will be saved today and he made up his mind to save Naruto even if he dies.

When did Sasuke started thinking about Naruto like this?  _This feeling..._  He knew it was not brotherly love. The love he  _had_  for Itachi was entirely different. Sasuke was concerned about revenge most of his life and cannot be bothered by anything else but that, but it doesn't mean that he couldn't feel, even if he wanted to or not. Sasuke cursed that he was driven by his feelings. He was too emotional even if he does not show it. His entire being was driven by his feelings. Nobody else but himself can see the intricate details he put into his revenge, his emotions driving him towards his goals. He never denied his feelings toward Naruto. He was clear-minded. It was definitely something, but he cannot categorize it, at least in words. Nobody knew, only Sasuke knew how deeply he felt. He doesn't have to talk about it. Nobody would've understood. Heck, Naruto would not have understood. He was clear of Naruto's feelings even when the dead-last-in-class hasn't got a clue on how to classify his feelings for Sasuke; guess there are perks being smarter and more observant. Ever since the first time they accidentally gave each other their first kiss, Sasuke had been thinking of the possibilities, the what-ifs and what-nots. He touched his lips sometimes to bring back the memories and would smirk at the thought of it.

Sasuke touched his lips again with bloody fingers, leaving a crimson mark on his broken lips. Yes, the kissed happened before. He smiled. He felt it because he was alive. He must protect Naruto.

With a final thrust buried deep within Sasuke's body, the three exploded their hot cum inside his body and he felt the hot liquid shooting inside of him in all directions. Sasuke, under the effects of the seal also emptied his load on the floor, mixing it with his own blood.

Sai knew what was about to happen and took out his dick from his pants. With a loud moan, he let cum shoot out to the ground beside him, away from Sakura. The head of his penis dripped with the last of his creamy cum, as the sweat that engulfed his entire body started to cool. He hoped Sakura never found out.

Naruto reached in his pants, he cannot hold back anymore and came hard in his own hands, warm slick cum dripping between his fingers and overflowing in loads into his pants. He took his shaking hands out and wiped it on the floor beside him. He felt disgusted that he actually got off on the feeling of brutally raping Sasuke. Trying the best to get back on his feet, he pressed his hands on the glass to look at Sasuke's barely moving body. His hot breath condensed against the cool glass.

The three pulled out of Sasuke and he was left hanging upside down by his thighs constrains. Ribbons of blood and cum flowed down from his abused entrance, covering his torso, rare, back… then shoulders.. then neck… then face… then hair. Yes, he was a whore. He felt like an abused used whore. A useless dirty whore that still with the last of his breath wanted to save Naruto… He wanted to make sure Orochimaru doesn't get his hands on Naruto, not now, not ever.

"Naruto…" He muttered, barely above a whisper. Naruto's eyes shot up at him. "There is always a weakness to every technique…"

Naruto finally came to his senses, he has an idea to escape and he needed Sakura. "Sakura, open your eyes!"

"Naruto! Are you ok?" She uncovered her eyes to discover a broken Uchiha hanging by his thighs. She screamed. Tears started flowing again. She hated being a girl. She wished these stupid tears would just go away.

"Sakura, Focus! Hurry and break the ground beneath you and if that doesn't work try hitting whatever. You have the most strength! Hit something until something breaks!"

Sakura wiped the last of her tears away and focused her chakra in her fist, hitting the ground in all directions. With just the right amount of strength and the right angle, she broke through the ground. The ground opened up and the vibration cracked their glass prisons.

"Yes!" The three proclaimed together in unison.

Orochimaru was caught off guard by this. He didn't expect his seal to be ineffective toward females. Sakura was the only one in the group with all her chakra and sanity intact. It was the right call by Sai for her to cover her eyes and to tell her to trust them. Sakura was no fool though, she knew what was happening by just hearing alone, but she felt her teammates spared her from seeing the trauma and their humiliation, and it was more than enough for her to have a clear head and save them all in the nick of time.

Ceasing the opportunity that Sasuke's been waiting for, he used the last of his chakra to form the handseals, "Chidori!" Blue lightning surrounded his hand, and as fast as he could possibly could, he cut into his own stomach with his chidori. Blood dripped down his elbow and splattered everywhere. There was not even a single thing surrounding Sasuke that could possibly pass for being any other color but red. "…There is always a weakness in every technique, and….. the reverse is also true… heh…" He smiled as his chidori slowly faded away. The others watched with their mouths opened. They looked at Orochimaru. Orochimaru looked down at his stomach, there was a big gaping, bleeding, hole. The clones turned into smoke and disappeared.

"W-well, I guess I should go attend to this before I really d-die. Haa…" Blood pooled around the man, he took a step, his feet was soaked in his own blood and growing weaker by the millisecond. "You Konoha brats got lucky today… Reverse Summoning Technique!" He formed a couple of handseals with shaking hands, a puff of smoke appeared, and when it dispersed, he was gone.

There was an air of silence between the shinobis. Their eyes turned towards Sasuke. The seal from Sasuke's back disappeared. Sasuke's body twitched...once.

"He's alive!" They rushed to his side. Sai cut the straps that was tying him up and was able to take the Seal of sharingan off of Sasuke's eyes because Orochimaru's current weakened state.

Sakura knelt beside him. She will not cry tears anymore. She must be the strong one now. It was time for her to save Sasuke. A blue glow emitted from her hands over the chidori wound. The bleeding stopped after a minute or two. "There is a lot of internal damage, hang on Sasuke." Sakura knew she had to be professional and deal with Sasuke's injuries, but it was just too much. She pounded her fist into the ground to stop her hands from shaking. "Naruto, turn Sasuke over."

"Sakura…" He put a hand over hers. "Stop shaking, I love you, so stop being afraid…" He was not lying to himself, he does love Sakura, as a teammate, as a friend, and as a sister, but… not that kind of love. "We need you right now to help Sasuke and you're the only one here that can do it. Believe in yourself…!"

Sakura nodded once and put her hand over Sasuke's rare. She spread it apart gently to look at the injuries. Sasuke was knocked out and was not complaining or moving. She should handle this the way she was taught. She cannot let other thoughts cloud her mind and her tears cloud her vision. She kept thinking that Sasuke probably didn't want her to look at him like this, but she was the only one here that can help him, embarrassing or not. Sasuke's blood and Orochimaru's cum coated the tip of her fingers and she gasped. She never actually had dealt with anything sex related before in person. She was only taught the how-to in an "as-if" situation by Tsunade. This was not something you see on the battlefield a lot.

"Ok, here it goes... Sorry Sasuke-kun…" Her index and middle finger glowed blue with healing chakra. She took no time to insert them into his anus, all the way back, hitting a dead end.

Sasuke's eyes flew open and screamed and tried to crawl away, but Sai and Naruto held him back. In his hazy mind, Sasuke thought it was Orochimaru again.

"I…I'm so sorry Sasuke-kun, bear with me. You will feel better soon I promise!" Sakura wiggled her fingers around to feel the extend of the damage. And it was bad.

Sasuke had stopped struggling as he passed out again.

She pulled her fingers out, this time, her hands were completely covered in the liquids from their aftermath.

"I can only stop the bleeding… I couldn't help him. It was too much." Sakura turned and walked away. Naruto pulled her back.

"No, you are going to heal Sasuke so that he's completely ok! You can do it, Sakura-chan!"

"No, Naruto, I'm sorry. Even with my extended skill set, this is the best I could do. The damage… It was too much. Sasuke is going to…going to... Just leave me alone, Naruto." Sakura sat on the floor looking at Sasuke with dead eyes. She could not cry.

"Well, Try! I won't let you go until you heal Sasuke! You are not allow to stop, do you understand me? We came all this way to save Sasuke and you are going to leave him to d- ?!" Sakura slapped Naruto across the face.

"Shut up! Do you think I didn't want to heal Sasuke? I love him and would want nothing then for him to be healthy and well again. Naruto, there is nothing I could do. I'm helpless! I don't have the skills to save him! I'm unworthy of being in his presence!"

"Well, what can we do?!"

"We can only bring him back for my master, Tsunade to look at. And… we have to hurry… This is Sasuke's only option right now."

* * *

It was a race against the sun.

As shinobis, you can only run; run away to survive, run away to live, run away to die, never ceasing; a race against the daylight, a race against life itself.

Sasuke's body felt light to Naruto even though he has been carrying him for the past 3 hours. Sai and Sakura continued on, never stopping to take a breather. Their hearts were heavy and their feet were tired.

As much pain as Sasuke was in, in the little consciousness that he had left, he felt Naruto's warmth through the spared clean clothes they put on him. His chest was pressed against Naruto's back, his arms were around Naruto's neck, and he felt safe at last. He knew if he die now, at least he would be in Naruto's grasp, smelling his scent, feeling the fox boy's dusty blond hair falling against his face. It felt nice, almost like it was from a dream. He coughed once, chocking from the blood that would leak into his mouth. Naruto noticed the tiny cough.

"I think we should stop for a couple of minutes to give Sasuke some water again." It was a good place to stop. They came upon a small hill with a single large tree overlooking a clearing and a sparkling river below. Sai went ahead to fetch water. Naruto put Sasuke down under the tree and placed his head on his lap. Sasuke was glad that Naruto didn't left him just to rest on the ground. He wanted Naruto to hold him forever. His wish might just come true soon. The sun was setting. It was clear now that they cannot make it back to Konoha before nightfall. A few birds flew by and landed in the tree above them, happily chirping away singing, not a care in the world.

A gentle breeze ruffled the greens beneath Sakura's feet. She took off her shoes and sat next to Sasuke, not saying a word. She had failed him, and this feeling of guilt will never leave her. She squeezed Sasuke's bloody hand in her own.

"I'm sorry Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun. I'll go with Sai to get water and gather supplies for the night. We can't give up. We couldn't give up just yet... We just needa find ways to survive." She put her shoes back on, "Please look after Sasuke while I'm gone. I'll be right back with some medicinal herbs to speed up the healing…" And with that she sprinted down the hill to catch up with Sai.

"Sasuke, they are going to find supplies. I'm going to stay here, with you. We'll be fine, you're safe…" Naruto looked straight into the sunset, not looking down at Sasuke. As much as he wanted to, he doesn't want Sasuke to see the tears that were welling up behind his eyes.

"Narut-to… I'm not going to make it…" Sasuke finally spoke. "I can't feel my legs..."

"Sasuke, shut up. Don't say that. Didn't you hear Sakura? You are going to get looked at by granny Tsunade, and she's going to heal you, and you will drink a lot of vitamin water, and you might stay in the hospital for a while, but you will eventually get out and learn all these new super jutsus and become waaaay stronger than me. You're going to get your revenge on Itachi. You're going to be a kickass jounin, marry Sakura and make her happy. Do you understand me?"

"Narut-to… what about my happiness…?" Sasuke tried his best to open his eyes to look at Naruto, the always happy, always smiles, silly fox boy that will always be dead last. "Look at me…"

Naruto did as Sasuke asked and looked him in the eyes. Tears already filled Naruto's eyes as they fell on Sasuke's cheeks. Sasuke was glad inside that he could still feel Naruto's tears on his face. "Sasuke, I don't want you to die. You must hang on. If you die… If you die…. I would be nothing… Nothing! Nothing in the world mattered… Sasuke…"

"N-naruto… I have a last wish…"

"No… no…no…! It will not be honored because you are not dying and it's not your last wish, stupid Sasuke, shut up you talk so much junk right now, this is not funny… Sasuke…!" Naruto cupped Sasuke's face in his hand, the other hand already holding the back of Sasuke's head, he felt colder than before.

Struggling to move, Sasuke's hand reached up to place over Naruto's hand that was over his face. Sasuke will cry for the last time. His tear fell from his eyes, tracing the curve of his face, the droplet reflecting the light from the sunset. His tears fell on their hands. Sasuke was beautiful.

Sasuke brought Naruto's hand over so that his finger-tips were resting over his lips. "H-how can I marry Sakura when all I only wanted to do was to kiss you?"

"S-sasuke…." Naruto's fingers traced Sasuke's lips. They were broken and chapped, but they were his lips. They were warm. Sasuke was still alive and that was all that mattered. "Why…? Sasuke… but I'm a boy... Did you hit your head…?" More tears streamed from Naruto's eyes that fell on Sasuke's face. He didn't know if he was happy or sad knowing how Sasuke felt about him. He only knew something was about to end, and he didn't want it to.

"S-stupid Naruto. Stop pretending… I saw through you before you did…." Sasuke tried his best to curve up a smile for Naruto to remember him by.

"Sasuke… why.. what…? But we can't…" He lowered his voice into a whisper only Sasuke could hear. "It's forbidden… We will indefinitely be murdered, personally, by everyone… this will never work out… Sasuke…" Naruto didn't care that he would die because of Sasuke, but for Sasuke's sake, not being with the guy with the demon fox inside would probably be a better plan. Sasuke's voice interjected his train of thoughts.

"Naruto… can you hold me and love me forever…" His voice got fainter and fainter. It was barely above a whisper, "…until I die? Nobody will judge us. N-nobody will know…"

"Sasuke… you know we can always runaway together… We can deface our forehead protectors and become Missing Nins. we could run away and be the unstoppable duo... nobody could get us… and I don't care if I die for you!" Tears covering Naruto's face he bent down to give Sasuke a kiss. Their first real kiss. So innocent and pure his feelings for Sasuke, all contained within those lips as they met covered with tears and the metallic taste of dried blood. Naruto licked Sasuke's tongue and lips, feverishly kissing him, sucking hard on his tongue, wanting Sasuke to feel loved even at his last moments. He pulled back to let both of them breath. "Just don't die…"

"Naruto… Perhaps in another lifetime… we could be together…" Sasuke's voice was like air escaping now. It was too soft to be heard clearly, "…and I would still love you…"

Sasuke's breathing slowed and then came to a complete stop. His eyes were still opened, beautiful, just looking up at the orange sun setting sky like nothing had happened. A smile frozen on Sasuke's lips as they were beginning to turn from pink to blue. A tear carefully made its way out of Sasuke's eye and dripped down to his chin. It held there and then it rolled down to the nape of his neck and disappeared.

Naruto brushed a thumb over Sasuke's lips. They were cold. "Sasuke?" No answer. Naruto wiped Sasuke's moist face with his thumb. He was not moving at all. "Sasuke!" Louder this time as he shook Sasuke's shoulder with both hands.

Sasuke's head fell backwards, hanging by his neck.

Naruto fell to the ground with Sasuke's body in a crushing hug. He held Sasuke's lifeless body hoping that he would jump up suddenly telling him that he was just kidding and everything would be fine. He squeezed Sasuke's body until he couldn't possibly get any closer. "Sasu... Sasuke!" But all he felt was Sasuke's body growing colder by the second until all the heat had left his skin. Naruto held him in cold sweat. His mind was clouded as he stopped believing everything around him was real as pain like this couldn't possibly exist in this world.

But the reality was that Sasuke was gone.

Sasuke's head rolled limply to the side.

Sasuke was dead.

Naruto screamed, crying into Sasuke's chest.

Suddenly without as much of a warning, a strong gust of wind picked up and the sky turned red, a pair of sharingan appeared in the sky. Leaves and debris blew around with a fury that wanted to escape the madness that was the power of the sharingan. "What's going on?!" He looked over at Sasuke, he was lifeless… then whose sharingan were those?

Sai and Sakura ran up the hill yelling at Naruto, pointing at the sky, but it was too noisy to hear clearly what they were screaming. Just then a voice echoed, surrounding them like the roar of a thunder. It was Itachi. Naruto knew that voice from anywhere.

"I would not let my little brother die…"

A flash of light consumed them and they were not on the hill anymore. They disappeared in front of Sai and Sakura, who were yelling and reaching for them.

Naruto and Sasuke were nowhere to be found. The sky turned calm and clear blue again. Birds were singing and perching up on the tree, just like before.

* * *

_**Perhaps in another lifetime…** _

_Tap tap tap tap tap…_

A blond hair boy tapped his fingers to the rhythm of the tune in his mp3 player. It was Japanese rock.

… _ **we could be together.**_

_Tick tock tick…_

The train pulled to a full stop, and he quickly got off. He doesn't have time to waste; Naruto was late to meet his friends for ramen already.

_The clock is ticking away at each second, not having a hint of ever slowing down. It couldn't slow down even if you want it to._

At the corner of his eye, he saw a pale and handsome boy with dark hair about his age standing at the edge of the platform. He'd seen this look before. He knew what's going to happen, but nobody around seemed to notice or care.

_After all, time waits for no one, and you were born running out of time._

Without a second thought he reached out to grab that boy's shoulder to pull him back in right before the boy was going to jump and commit train suicide.

_**And I would still love you…** _

"Hey dude! Don't think dying will solve problems. A lot of people here in Japan have thought about that, you are not special!"

The dark-haired boy looked back at him with these sad and lonely eyes. He pushed Naruto's hand off of his shoulder and walked away towards the exit, cursing underneath his breath.

 

**Tokyo, Japan.**

**Shibuya Station.**

**Earth year 2013.**

 

* * *

_To be continued…_

* * *

 


	2. Dead Man Walking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke woke up and having lost all his memories, seek to find his place in the world as depression slowly making its way to consume him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is NaruSasuNaru fic with other pairings on the side for the story. Main fic will contain plot revolving around Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto. Nagato, Yahiko, and Madara will be plot bunnies that show up later on to give everyone a bad (or good? time). That's really all I can spoil for now :P

 

The musky smell of sex filled the air of the room. Even in its disheveled state, the room remained warm with the cascading sun setting light from outside the window. Everything in the room was flooded with an orange overtone, even his sweat.  _His sweet sweat._  Trails of sweat rolled down his brow with each thrusting movement of his hips. His arched back was gleaming with sweat that embodied all the fractions of the sun's beam in each droplet. His arm muscles tensed up and flexed to reveal his perfectly toned arms with each thrust of his hips as he clutches the body beneath him closer and tighter, gripping ever-so-fiercely as his nails marked those creamy white thighs that he was burying himself between as his. And  _only_  his. Taking Sasuke's chin into his free hand, he squeezed his jaw open and dripped his tongue into that warm mouth, licking his lips and sucking his tongue.

Sasuke moaned into his warm and rough touches, opening himself and letting the blonde's muscular frame to take him as his own. He thrust his hips up to meet the other's body as he slammed down on the Uchiha, making the impact hard and fast, burying his lover's meat deeper within his body with each movement of their sweat slick bodies.

The blonde dipped his head lower, licking , lapping up his sweat slicked skin, spending time and prolonging on kissing the huge gash that was on his lover's stomach.

He let go on Sasuke's thighs and turned him on his side while still being connected to him through their sex. He opened Sasuke's thighs up wider with his hand, lifting one knee over his own shoulder and finding a firm grip over Sasuke's other thigh around his waist with the other hand. Sasuke's ankle gripped around the blonde's back as he turned to face down, urgent fingers clawed at the moisten and messy bed sheet. Sasuke's back arch was beautiful, perfectly milky white skin; his ass in the air sideways, he waited desperately for him to continue his ministrations over the area that was starting to blush due to some rough handling.

The blonde pounded into his was-virgin lover again and again, his blue eyes half-lidded as he was trying his best to not cum all over right then. Unable to restrain himself, he gave into his primal instinct to fuck his Sasuke as hard as he could, moving the bed and banging the headboard hard against the wall, chipping off the paint in the corner.  _His_ Sasuke.

Not holding onto his pride, Sasuke moaned the blonde's name between ecstasy-filled cries. Knowing he was close, he grabbed his own erection with his hand and pumped it in rhythm to each of their thrusts. With a lust-filled cry that pierced through the humidity of the room, he came, squeezing his muscles tight around his lover's length. Feeling the sudden invasion of pressure, the blonde gave a few more hard thrusts before filling Sasuke's inside up with his hot, sticky cum while screaming his name in a silent cry.

The blonde fell on top of his partner's body, hot sweat mangled in between. Sasuke did not wait to push his tongue inside his boy's mouth, forcing his lips apart as he tasted his saliva.

He broke their kiss apart, a sticky string of saliva connected their mouths. Sasuke licked his own lips slowly, smirking, dark and mischievous eyes staring down at the bright blue orbs. The other wiped his mouth with his thumb. He smirked back.

Sasuke trailed down his neck with kisses. Pushing his partner on his back, Sasuke straddled his thighs as he reached up to flick his tongue over his sensitive nipples before heading south, bringing a satisfied moan from those pink parted lips. With each kiss, he sucked harder. Lifting a tanned, muscular leg over his shoulder he bent down to kiss and suck the innermost sensitive part of the blonde's thigh. Feeling the steady rising and falling of the blonde's chest as he was trying to catch his breath, Sasuke bit down hard on his inner thighs, drawing blood, marking that body as his own. "You're mine." The blond winced to the sudden pain; fascinated by the feeling of pain and lust, his arousal rising to attention once again with the promise of more pleasures that were yet to come. He put a hand under the blonde's knee that was already over his shoulder and lifted it higher, pulling his back half off the bed. Sasuke's pink tongue licked and sucked on the bloodied inner thigh until he left a red mark that was sure to turn blue and purple by tomorrow. In one smooth lick, his tongue traveled from his thigh to the back of his knee. "I'm gonna fuck you so hard."

The blonde gave an uncertain nod as Sasuke rammed his cock into his tight opening without hesitation…

With each hard thrust of his hips, his mind wandered to a memory that doesn't seem so long ago; Sasuke's first memory of this life that he's been growing quite accustomed to by now...

**...**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**Dead Man Walking**

* * *

Sasuke remembered there was this bright light, so bright that it was almost black because it was so blinding. He opened his eyes to a low hum of machinery and beeping that increased in speed and urgency with each struggled breath that he was trying to take. He felt like he was drowning under a thin layer of water, seeing and hearing everything that was obstructed, and  _drowning_. He opened his mouth to breath but there was something that was blocking his airway. With a quivering hand, his fingers ghosted over a clear mask over his mouth. He tried to cough, but discovered that there was a tube down his throat. He fingered the strap elastic that was wrapped around his head and pulled the ventilator mask off.

A man with dark hair ran in through the door, shocked to see him, and squeeze him in a bone-crashing hug. The man cried tears into his shoulder, his long dark hair in a ponytail brushed across his nose making him want to sneeze.  _Who is he? He smells nice though._

"Sasuke…S-Sasuke!" The man shook his shoulders, making him look straight into this man's dark, tired eyes, eyes that looked as if he hasn't been sleeping soundly for days. "Sasuke, don't leave me ever again!" The random man burrowed his face in Sasuke's shoulder again and cried tears that soaked through his shirt and made his shoulder wet.

Carefully, Sasuke pushed the man back away from him, not wanting to seem completely rude, he apologized, "sorry, but… w-who are you?"

As a matter of fact, he didn't even know who himself was.

 _As a matter of fact,_  there were no previous memories.

Everything looked so foreign to him. Nothing came to mind- and nothing was familiar. He felt like a child, helpless, and didn't know what was going on. At the same time, he felt emptiness even though this nice man that said was his older brother put a coat on him and genuinely smiled at him. The nice man swung a bag over his shoulder as he held Sasuke's body up by the waist with the other. He was still having trouble walking, but he can leave the hospital now, they said.

The nice man tear up again and kissed Sasuke on his forehead. "Little brother, everything is going to be alright now. We are going home." Even though he did not know what was going on, he felt the man's warmth and he felt safe. The man shook his shoulder again to bring him out of his trance. Sasuke's eyes snapped to attention, looking at the dark orbs in front of him curiously. "Everything is going to be ok now…"

The bath was warm and it relaxed his muscles. Sasuke felt like he hasn't washed himself in a long time (which was probably true); he wanted to stay in the warm bath forever.

The man who introduced himself as Itachi and his older brother sat next to him outside the tub on a small plastic chair. He soaked a small towel in the tub and used it to scrub his little brother's back. "Does it feel good?" Itachi felt like he was talking to himself. Sasuke neither moved nor spoke; he just sat there looking at the wall tiles. He used the towel to squeeze some water over his little brother's head, washing away the shampoo, using the same towel, he wiped his face to get the shampoo and hair from covering his face. Sasuke just blinked. Itachi felt guilt welled up inside of him, seeing his brother in such a state. Dropping the towel in the tub, Itachi embraced Sasuke from the back and held him close. The Uchiha brothers sat like this for several minutes, delighted to finally hold his little brother in his arms again, but disappointed to know that he was only half there in his consciousness. "Sasuke, I'm so sorry for everything… everything that happened to you." He kissed his brother's cheek. He missed his little brother so much. The last time he ever hugged his little brother this intimately was before…  _that_  happened… That's right. The memory was faint, but he definitely remembered everything- in this life  _or the last_.

He remembered that night when he murdered the entire Uchiha clan…  _He remembered walking ten steps behind an eight year old Sasuke who was running away from him crying and tripping over things on the ground. He lifted his sword and pointed towards his little brother, threatening to end his life right there, the crimson moon reflecting off the blade. Sasuke screamed as he fell over a dead body_. "I'm so very sorry, Sasuke…" He held his little brother in a tighter hug, "I'm…sorry…"

"Why are you sorry... I-Itachi... ?" Sasuke finally said a complete sentence to him. The whole day has been short 'yes', 'no', and short replies.

"I'm sorry that you don't remember me, silly Sasuke. Heh... " Smiling at his confused little brother.

"What happened to me?"

"Umm... We... I mean us, our family... we went to the beach, and…" He had to chose his words carefully, "... there was a radioactive contamination. Our parents were poisoned and passed away the same day. We got sick, but you got really sick and fell into a coma for six months…" Itachi lied. Sasuke frowned. He didn't even remember his parents. He remembered nothing. "I'm just glad you are back..."

"Where are… am I?"

"We live in a small town in a country called Japan... You are at home now... our apartment."

"And how old am I?"

"It's the year 2013. You are seventeen years old, Sasuke." Itachi got up from the plastic chair and grabbed a towel, "and you are supposed to be way too old to feel this relaxed about me washing you." Throwing a towel at Sasuke who caught it in mid air, "but if you need me I'll always be here. Now dry yourself."

With a sigh, Itachi flopped down on the bed face first. It's been a long day.

Sasuke enjoyed the warmth of another human being, even though he had no previous recollection of this man. Knowing his own name and age, and where he was brought him a small sense of being and satisfaction, but still, he felt alone in this world. He was with himself and his empty thoughts. The worst part was, he didn't even know what to think or was supposed to be thinking. He'd stood up now. Dark thoughts flooded his mind as each drop of water that dripped from his hair created a new ripple around his legs. The sound of each drop of water only gotten louder as the water slowly turned from clear to black, then to a blood-like crimson that materialized into hands that reached up to his bare thighs; tucking and pulling him under. The only thing that was audible was the sound of his heart beating steadily with each second that passed. Those hands pulled him down slowly into the tub without resistance until he was completely submerged in the crimson liquid except for his face. He opened his mouth, gasping for a final breathe of air; Sasuke tried to scream, but no sound came out.

He,

a shell with no memories,

was but a dead man walking.

* * *

**_To be continued…_ **

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hi guys! Thx for reading the first real chapter to "Perhaps in Another Life Time"! I was writing the outline for this fic today and I planned out 20 chapters so far, so please look forward to the rest of it as I write them whenever I have the time ^-^ I apologize for the short sex scene that was incomplete! KYAAAA~ hahaHAHA! ^o^;; But it's ok, that was just a whatever teaser for what's going to come.


	3. Dumb-Fuck, Lucky Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke, driven mad by depression, struggled to find himself. He needed someone to rescue him. Will that someone appear or will he be consumed by the prison in his mind?

**Chapter 3**

**Dumb-Fuck, Lucky Bastard**

* * *

Sasuke winced suddenly, pulling in a sharp in-take of air.

Startled by the sudden jerk of his younger brother's body, Itachi woke up with a soft groan. Hours had passed had he accidentally fallen asleep on top of Sasuke's arm as he sat down in a worn down wooden chair next to him on the bed. Shuffling around looking for a light switch on the night stand, he finally found the cord to the lamp and pulled the rust covered chain, a few times, before it hummed and blinked on illuminating the apartment with its staled yellow flickering light. Taking a wet towel set aside on top a plastic bag on the night stand, he folded the towel neatly before exchanging the "fresh" towel with the used towel on top on Sasuke's forehead.

His brother's fever had gone down significantly within a few hours, but he was still above the average temperature. He must have stayed in the bath tub too long. Itachi felt a pang of guilt for not realizing that his little brother's body was perhaps still too weak to resume on normal activities.

Normal activities.

 _What are the normal activities?_  Certainly nothing that this world can offer.

He can't even jump higher than a bush on a good day and have lost all abilities to mold chakra or to use of his sharingan. He cursed inwardly for being the one who was responsible for their current situation.

Sasuke stirred in his sleep. He was awaken by his brother's sturdy but soft hands wiping a cool towel across his forehead. Itachi dabbed the towel around Sasuke's nose and heated cheeks, also taking the time to lift his head to wipe the sweat off the back of his neck. Still feeling the after effect of his more than surreal nightmare, Sasuke slapped his brother's hand away. "Don't touch me…" He was dizzy with the blood red images from his nightmare. "…Please."

"I'm sorry for waking you up," he said softly, while ignoring his little brother's request, he dabbed the wet towel over the side of his face again to wipe away new sweat that formed. "Go back to sleep."

"I don't want to." Feared that he might not wake up again, "I don't want to sleep."

"Don't worry, it's just a fever. It will pass."

"What time is it?"

"It's the middle of the night, Sasuke, you should rest."

"Then why do you look ready to go out?" Sliding a quick glance towards Itachi's clothing, Sasuke focused his eyes on the ceiling again, "Are you going somewhere?"

Itachi nodded, getting up from his sitting position, "I'll be back soon, just rest."

As Itachi turned to leave, Sasuke caught the hem of his brother's shirt, tugging at the fabric, "Please don't go. I want you to stay."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I have something of importance to take care of. I promise I'll be back before the sunrise." Itachi smiled as Sasuke frowned. Walking closer to the bed, Itachi placed two fingers on Sasuke's forehead with a reassuring tap. "I promise I'll be back soon, and put a new towel on this."

()-()-()-()

Itachi did not come back in the morning, or the day after.

Doing the only thing Sasuke can do, he stayed in the house and ate whatever was left over in the fridge; not having a particularly big appetite, it was enough to suffice. He sat in front of the TV all day, watching, flipping channels, fascinated by everything about everything, at the same time, re-learning so much through commercials and TV shows. It was the only way to fill the loneliness and confusion. His only pillar, Itachi, the older brother he knew for a day was gone and nowhere to be found, nor did he wanted to go look for him. His body was still weak and he was comfortable in the soft bathrobe and pink fuzzy bunny slippers. He was sure his brother can take care of himself, but felt betrayed that he made a promise to him and then broke it so easily.

It was in the afternoon that Itachi finally made his appearance again. "I see that you've found the on-switch for the TV." Dropping down three large bags of groceries near the door, "can you help me with these, Sasuke?"

Sasuke stayed mostly quiet, but content that his brother was back. He also felt neglected. His brother did not ask about him.

Itachi wanted to try his hands on making curry, something that he found incredibly delicious that was not too hard to make. He was in charge of cutting up the vegetables while Sasuke was put in charge of washing them.

Sasuke was the first to break the silence between them. "Where were you?" He spoke as he scrubbed the vegetables from under the running faucet with a hard sponge.

"I was out buying groceries at the market."

"For two days?!" In anger, Sasuke threw the carrot he was washing into the sink, making a splash.

"Yes, for two days."

"Don't lie to me."

"I was also at the hospital paying your medical bills."

"For two days?"

"I'm a busy person." Raising his hands to chop down at the onion with a heavy knife, hard, he cut the ingredient in half, shaking the cutting board with its loud impact. He then began cutting it into smaller pieces, "we will have this conversation no more." Sasuke thought he saw tears welled up in Itachi eyes, as they turn puffy with redness. He thought about asking about it, but decided to give his brother some space.  _Maybe it was the onions._

()-()-()-()

Day after long drawn out days, night after chilled unfulfilled nights, Itachi would leave after the clock strikes twelfth and only come back in the early afternoon, sometimes with food and other items. Sasuke inquired about his nightly disappearance, but would always receive vague answers " _It's my night job_ ", " _I just needed to get some air_ ", " _I like going out at night, ok?_ "And day after day, the emptiness in Sasuke's heart would grow larger as the distance between him and Itachi's been stretched taunt, distance so long and heavy, almost having a weigh of its own. Watching TV was fine, but he wanted to feel. He wanted to feel what characters on daytime drama have felt, their anger, their anguish, their happiness, and their drama. Even though he has someone, he felt he was alone; a darkness that would come to haunt him at night when it was the most quiet, after Itachi leaves.

Sometimes Sasuke would see those bloody hands again, materializing from the shadows behind his closet, reaching up to grab and pull him from his bed. Sometimes, those hands would turn into an image of a blood red moon. Sometimes, the imagery was so realistic that he could even smell blood; blood from the pile of dead bodies that scattered among his room in translucent shadows.

Itachi finally brought him to a doctor for his frustration, who told them it was nothing but a temporary brain ailment that with time will heal. Sasuke bit down hard on his lips drawing blood. He wanted it to end.

()-()-()-()

"Please don't go Itachi. I don't think I can stand this anymore." Sasuke blocked the front door with his arms outstretched, a serious look plastered across his face. His gaze moved from staring into Itachi's eyes down to his clothes. His brother was dressed in tight black jeans, and an open button white shirt with a mesh shirt peeking underneath, the set all complimenting well with his dusty blue jean jacket that was slung over his shoulder; his three-hoop necklace matched well with his outfit like the plump icing on a birthday cake. "If you go, take me with you."

Walking up to reach for the doorknob behind Sasuke, Sasuke moved towards the knob still with his hands arms outstretched, blocking Itachi from leaving. "No." He pushed Sasuke aside with a firm shove, reaching for the doorknob with a swift twist of the handle, he cracked it open, a gust of cool air rushed into their home to temporarily relief the apartment of the tension.

"It's lonely. You don't know how I feel." Sasuke found his foothold, leaning against the wall. "It's driving me insane… this feeling of emptiness." Itachi stopped. Sasuke elbowed the door close; the fresh air flow was cut off again, leaving only the warmth of the heater humming in the background. "I need to leave this place." Sasuke stepped forward threateningly in the direction of his brother and grabbed hard at the front of his shirt, pulling him close and down so that their dark eyes could meet. "I want to leave here." With a startling jerk of his wrist, Sasuke slammed his older and taller brother against the wall in a loud smack, marveled by his little brother's recuperated strength as the action caught him by surprise. "I feel like I'm going insane." But nothing could have prepared Itachi for what happened next. Sasuke pressed his lips against his brother's, prying his lips open to stick his tongue in, sucking at his warm carven of a mouth. Itachi's eyes flew open at the realization of what happened to immediately shoving Sasuke off of himself, but not before landing a resisting punch right against Sasuke's face.

"The fuck?!" He spat on their carpeted floor, trying to get the taste of Sasuke's saliva out of his mouth. Itachi scrambled to his feet and made a dash out the door, slamming it shut as he ran down the street, not looking back. He felt panic and sick to his stomach that he just tasted his little brother's tongue. That he had just been forced upon by his little brother's insanity. He shivered from the thought of it. He felt bad for hitting his brother, but there were just some things you can't help. Sometimes, you will even need to go as far as to hit your mentally sick and depressed little brother, even knowing his condition. Sometimes, you only had one choice given the situation. He sat on a park bench to catch his breath with a trembling hand covering his eyes.

Sasuke sank to the floor, he felt weak in his knees.  _Why did he just do that?_  He held the side of his face that Itachi punched. It burned his skin. He felt like holding his own knees for a while into a tight hug. He needed a hug today, and nobody was there to give it to him. Sasuke held himself while sitting by the door as silent tears pour out; his fuzzy pink bunny slippers moist with his own tears.

He fell asleep by the door. It must have been passed noon did Itachi made his appearance again, waking Sasuke up as he entered stridently through the front door. Sasuke rubbed his sore eyes, realizing that he must have fallen asleep by the door for the entire night. Itachi nudged Sasuke's foot with his own, "hey, wake up. Pack your bags, we are leaving."

"What?", rubbing his eyes from waking up from his surprisingly peaceful sleep.

Itachi dropped a heavy black duffle bag by the door with a loud thump as he kicked off his sneakers. "We are leaving this town today."

Trying to make sense and focus at the same time, his eyes wandered upon Itachi's face. His brother's face was turn to the side from Sasuke as he packed his necessities into another bag in a hurried manner.  _His face._

His brother's cheeks were swollen, and upon further inspection, his right eye was also blackened, his lips torn and broken. Looking further down, his brother's white shirt was stained with patches of blood and there was a gash running across his back where the shirt was torn, along his arms several cuts were visible. His hair was greasy and a mess, no-

"Itachi… your hair…" Instead of his usual long hair tied into a clean ponytail, it was jagged and chopped, shorter, the same length as his own.

"I got a haircut." Shooting his little brother nothing but a snotty reply.

"What? With a weed whacker?!"

"Sasuke, we need to leave soon. No more questions please…"

"No, I'm not leaving until you tell me what the _fuck_  you've been doing to look like… to look like this!"

"Sasuke, I said no more questions!" Itachi turned to face Sasuke, tears had already been streaming down his face as he was packing his own things. Sasuke stepped forward with uncertainty as to how his brother would feel when he put a hand on his brother shoulder in a loving manner. Itachi returned the gesture by putting a hand over Sasuke's.

Sasuke finished packing all his stuff (which was basically nothing but one set of clothes and some undergarments) before his brother even stepped out of the shower. Curious, he wondered what was in that heavy bag.

Holding up a razor, Itachi wiped the mirror to clear it of its fog with the other hand as he carefully trimmed his hair and bangs until they appear to be even. He looked more like his little brother than his old self now. He took no less than a minute to wash his gashes and wounds. It didn't hurt. When he was in the ANBU, the aftermath of S-rank missions and where he got injured were more serious than this. What really hurt was what  _happened_. He clutched his heart and squeezed his flesh above it, his fingernails leaving red marks on his pale marbled skin. Physical pain does help to ease pain in other areas.  _Fuck_ , he hate feeling so  _damn_  weak.

Sasuke unzipped the bag his brother dropped by the door and look inside.  _Money._  It was just wads after wads of cash. He gasped. And on top of those money was shiny new gun. He picked up the gun turning it from side to side with fascination as it reflects the light in such an iridescent manner. Gripping the gun on its handle, he traced over the barrel with his thumb.

"Sasuke, you shouldn't look at my stuff without my permission."

Startled, Sasuke dropped the gun in the open bag. Looking back at his brother who crossed his arms across his naked chest, body still dripping with water and towel wrapped around his waist, he stood up. "What the hell is this? Can you explain  _this_ money?  _This_  gun? Can you explain _anything_?"

Heaving a sign, Itachi grabbed Sasuke's arms with two firm grasps of his palms. He knelt down, bringing Sasuke down with him until he too was kneeling on the carpet. "You said you wanted to leave here, didn't you?" His concerned was only communicated in the nervous grasp of his hands and the quivering darting of his dark eyes.

Nothing was spoken after that, no explanation was offered nor words exchanged, and Sasuke didn't pressed Itachi on what happened again as he let his older brother cry tears into his shoulder.

()-()-()-()

They left in a hurry to catch the 5 o'clock bullet train bound for Tokyo. Very few words were exchanged between the brothers on the train and it was fine. There were entirely too much crying done in the past 12 hours and they were both sick of it.

Sasuke felt like a burden.

He glanced over at Itachi, his loving brother that has been taking care of him and now because of what Sasuke wanted he was physically harmed. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he turned to look out the window. Everything was moving so quickly as the train move from scenery to scenery; the rhythmic roaring of the wind hitting the windows of the train was steady and predictable. As the sun goes down from behind the hills, he felt like the night has arrived once again to consume him. When can he escape from this invisible darkness that has come to chase him in his mind again? Maybe he will never escape from it. And Itachi, his dear brother, will continue to suffer because of Sasuke's own personal selfish desires. He looked over to the black duffle bag that Itachi clutched tightly to his chest, recalling the contents that were inside and whatever decision his brother might have made to obtain that for his sake. Sasuke decided that he was doing the world no good. He might as well end it all.

It was not their destination, but Sasuke ran out the train door without alerting his sleeping brother. He wanted to leave him like that, just disappear. He planned his escape and made up his mind to do so. With slow steps, he walked towards the unregulated train platform, inching closer and closer to the edge. He looked over the tracks. He counted mentally. It was at least an eight feet drop. There was an announcement in the speakers that a train was approaching the station. He stepped closer to the edge, the toes of his sneakers balancing off the side of the platform. He was ready for it. It will be quick and fast with no pain-for _everyone_. The train was approaching fast. He closed his eyes and stepped forward.

Someone caught his shoulder and pulled him back violently. "Hey dude! Don't think dying will solve problems. A lot of people here in Japan have thought about that, you are not special!"

A blonde young man around his own age with an annoyed pair of blue eyes connected with his own, piercing into his soul and triggered a part of him that has never been irritated so much as he was now. How  _dare_  this person stop him from making things better? What gave him the _right_ to not let Sasuke end  _his_ own life?!

Aggravated with this person's sad attempts to stop him, he tossed his hand away from his shoulder, cursing as he walked away towards the exit. "Stupid dumb-fuck…"

The blonde made a disgusting face and stuck out his tongue towards Sasuke who has been walking away from him, "ungrateful lucky bastard!"

 

* * *

_… to be Continued._

:P

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the long intro with hardly any Naruto-kun T_T (at least I had the lemon teaser last chapter to make up for it right?!). The story has a huge plot that I need to build up and I'm slowly getting to the NaruSasuNaruSasuNaruSasu… parts *o*


	4. Is Worth A Thousand Words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Moving into a new place, Sasuke struggled to make sense of his surroundings and Itachi's ...lies?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I only just saw "Road to Ninja" like right now, and I'm both amused and pissed at the same time that they almost had the same idea as me for some elements of this fic in the future. I assure you though, that it will in no way be like the movie at all. *sigh*
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways some Japanese vocab for ya in this chapter:
> 
> Naruto are also those swirly fishcake things in ramen
> 
> Chashu is the delicious pork that will be a crime if you don't add them to your ramen next time, shame on you!

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Is Worth a Thousand Words**

* * *

"Sasuke!"

It was definitely Itachi's voice. Sauske sped up his walking. He didn't stop even when all the pedestrians stopped their feet on the platform at the red light. Everybody stopped to watch as this unpleasant young man marched out into the open traffic into the biggest and busiest intersection of the district. They gasped as the cars honked at him. Embarrassed by the on-lookers, he made a ran for it.

The bags were heavy and it wasn't an easy task to chase after his brother with hands full of luggage. Itachi caught Sasuke's shoulder as Sasuke was turning a corner. He was exhausted from chasing after Sasuke at the train station and panted heavily as he gripped his brother's shoulder tighter. "Sasuke!"

"What? Just leave me alone!" Sauske tried to push Itachi's hand away. Itachi dropped the other bags on the floor to grab Sasuke's other shoulder as he slammed Sasuke to the wall. Sasuke winced at the sudden impact. Itachi lean in closer until Sasuke could feel his breath on the tip of his nose.

"You accidentally kicked my foot and woke me up."

"What?"

"On the train, before you made your little-" Itachi drew circles with his finger in the air "-escape. Listen to me, and listen to what I say carefully." He took a deep breath. "I love you, Sasuke. I worked very hard so we can survive. I even had to take on jobs… and do things I'm not proud of. Don't shame my efforts."

Sasuke seemed to have calmed down after they stayed like that for a minute without speaking a word to each other. Sasuke refused to look his older brother in the eye, but kept his gaze to the ground. "And what kinda jobs?"

"Labor. Miscellaneous labor intensive jobs, like fixing stuff... like bicycles ya know?" Itachi let go of his shoulders and wiped a sweat off of his brow. "Don't ask me, it's too much to explain." Itachi had kept a straight face.

"Why won't you tell me the truth?!" Sasuke sank down against the wall as he slid down into a squat. Itachi followed by lowering himself down facing Sasuke, also in a squat. Sasuke clutched his sweaty bangs and squeezed his eyes shut as he thought about all that that had happened. Just nothing made sense. "I know you are lying to me. You have been lying to me. So, great, I lost my memories and you suddenly think I'm stupid or something." He felt tears threatening to fall. He had no where to escape, why wouldn't Itachi just let him escape?

"I will say it as many times as you will like. I'm sorry Sasuke, for just, everything…" Itachi reached out his two fingers, ready to tap Sasuke on his forehead when Sasuke flung his hand away. He pushed forth, holding Sasuke's chin in his hand. "I love you, Sasuke." He bend forward to kiss Sasuke on his cheek and ruffled his hair. "I'm sorry for... Everything..."

"I'm not your pet, Itachi." He pushed Itachi's hand away from his face.

Joyful squealing surrounded the boys. They looked around them, and unbeknownst to them, a group of four to six girls in mini-skirts (even though it was winter already) had surrounded them like they are watching a daytime drama unfold. They were enthralled by the two handsome boys arguing and being too close to each other. They had been whispering and placing bets with each other as to which one was the 'top' and which one was the 'bottom'. They all cheered when Sasuke reaffirmed their perversions.

"Aah, no I mean…" Itachi got up from when he was crouching, understanding their situation. The girls' eyes lit up as if they were seeing for the first time. "He's my little brother, you sic-"

The girls cheered even louder and squealed and hugged each other. Itachi could hear them whispered to each other how 'hot' that 'sex' must've been for them.

He sighed and kneaded the space between his furrowed brows. There were still a lot Itachi need to learn in this world. In the meantime, he could only keep calm and lie his way through until he get caught, and lie some more. That was the master plan.  _Great._

If he was only back in their world, he would have been able to sense the girls as they were being surrounded, and could have avoided the whole thing, even if it was miles away.

 _Also_ , he could have just killed them if he so much as wished hard enough for it.

Seeing the opportunity to runaway again while Itachi was occupied with the girls, Sasuke got up and tried to leave before collapsing on the floor on his weak knees. His stomach growling loudly.

Itachi sighed and reached out his hand towards Sasuke. "Come on, let's go get some food."

()-()-()-()

They found a ramen-house not too far from the station, behind the more popular shopping districts next to those infamous blow-job clubs that looked quite normal on the outside, but not on the inside. They sat down and ate their food peacefully when a sudden outburst of laughter caught them in mid-swallowing. Sasuke lifted his eyes to see what the commotion was and found that the loud noise was originated from the same guy who'd  _"rescued"_  him from earlier. He was with two other guys about his age, one with brown hair tied in an up-ponytail, a mesh shirt with a brown leather jacket, and the other one was a big kid with his hair dyed orange and a long green trench coat. They all looked drunk, but the two of them were less drunk than the _guy_  from earlier today because they were holding  _him_  up trying to calm  _him_  down.

"Ramen, ramen, ramen! I love ramen, ha ha ha!" The two guys sat the noisy blond in a chair and ordered some green tea for their friend.

"Naruto, be quiet! We are in a restaurant now!" The three garnered strange looks from the patrons of the store. Some even ordered their checks with to-go boxes.

"I want my ramen now! Miso ramen with naruto of course! Chashu chashu chashu~~~!" He managed to belch out his order in his drunken state while raising his fist in the air. The two less-drunken friends tried to sit him down with no avail. "Chasu~~! Hahaha!"

"Naruto, calm yourself! You are embarrassing us!" The big one pushed him down on the stool while bowing and apologizing to all the people in the store who stared at them in distaste. Naruto ignored his obviously concerned buddies to put his feet up on the table and lit the cigarette in his mouth.

Sasuke watched with amusement. _So his name is Naruto, huh._ He noticed Naruto and his friends' clothes. They were fashionable but definitely different from most people he saw in Tokyo so far. He worn a leather collar with spikes and have various dangling silver crosses as earrings and necklace, tight black pants and a form-fitting cut-up black t-shirt, and tall black boots, but most obvious of all were that they all worn some sort of eye make-up. Eyeliner, he remembered from those commercials. Naruto had on sparkly orange eyeshadow with eyeliner. He gave a small chuckle as the three were kicked out of the store by the owner.

Naruto did not go unnoticed by Itachi. He saw the noisy blond and his friends as they enter and exit the store out of the corner of his eye, but did not comment on it. It will be less complicated for his position if Sasuke never found out, but Sasuke's amusement with Naruto did not escape Itachi's discern.

()-()-()-()

The ride to their new home was mostly in silence. The taxi driver accepted the few large bills dug out from Itachi's duffle bag with sharp bows and wide thankful eyes, muttering many thanks as they slammed the door to walk to their destination. It was 2am when they'd finally arrived at the outskirts of Tokyo, a bit away from the city.

They arrived at the front of a gate, the door to their estate. Sasuke helped his brother carry all their luggage as Itachi ran ahead to open the door with a paper clip. It took a few tries, but he finally got it to open.

It was not just an estate, but a mansion. Sasuke hung his mouth open in awe. The driveway leading up to the house was a long and steep climb to the top; Itachi helped him with the bags. When they finally reached another gate, the real gate to the house this time, Itachi picked the lock with the same paper clip again. "I forgot the keys." Itachi explained, hoping Sasuke would accepted it as much.

Sasuke slowly took in his surroundings as Itachi turned on the lights. It was a two-storied traditional style Japanese house with wooden floors and tatami mats, sliding door, and a small koi pond that Sasuke discovered upon almost falling into it in the dark. It was a house with two floors and many rooms, there must have been at least five just counting it at the first glance. It seemed peaceful and lived-in. The place was well-furnished like the family just moved out suddenly without taking anything with them, but most importantly of all were the pictures on the wall. Sasuke found himself staring at a particular picture. Itachi was in it, and an older man and an older woman rested their hands on Sasuke's shoulder lovingly. It was a family picture. He put the pieces of information together. Those two must have been his parents. He noticed that in all the pictures, he himself have worn glasses. He found that ironic when he doesn't even need them to see. He gathered that it must have been a fashion-thing he had, but didn't really pay any mind to it.

"Itachi, these are…"

"These are our family pictures. Do you like it?" Itachi smiled as he put an arm around Sasuke's shoulder.

He does. As a matter of fact, Sasuke could not keep his eyes from looking at these family pictures on the wall; the smiles, the life events that they all went through together, the baby pictures, and the pictures of Itachi and Sasuke when they were children. He felt like for the first time since he was admitted out of the hospital that he was beginning to find his sense of self. It gave him hope that he might be able to find a sense of being in this world. "How come I never saw them before? At our old apartment?"

"It was a surprise for you. I hope you like it." He smiled some more as he rubbed soothing circles into his little brother's shoulder. They both stopped to look at the picture of themselves when they were younger. In the picture, Itachi held Sasuke in the same way, one hand over his shoulder. They were both smiling and covered in dirt, probably from playing and running around all day. Mirroring the picture, a genuine smile formed on Sasuke's lips.

"When… When did you do this? The house…. And the pictures. All the- stuff." He started to doubt Itachi again, looking for a plausible explanation for this.

"I decorated our new place before we moved in... Surprise!" Itachi lied again. He didn't want to. He was dying inside, but now was not the time to mope around. "Sasuke, I know what will make you happy. Follow me." Itachi dragged Sasuke by his wrist and dragged him down a few turns. They even passed by a room with the words "Itachi's Room" nailed to the door in light-blue block letters. They finally arrived at a door. Itachi pushed in. "This is your room, do you like it?"

Sasuke walked in, indeed, it was well-decorated already. On the walls were mostly academic and martial arts achievements, and they all had his name on it. The desk was neat with a small notepad and some colored pens lying around. There was a huge book case leaning against the far wall full of books both fiction and non-fiction alike, and at the top of the bookcase were various plagues and trophies in different shape and sizes, all inscribe with either the words "First Place" or "#1" on it. "You were such a good student, Sasuke. You were the best in everything, I mean, you still is, but you were- and that happened- so…" Unable to find the correct words, Itachi stopped trying to explain, seeing that Sasuke knew what he meant. Sasuke sat on the bed. There were pajamas folded neatly on top of the pillow. "You should take a shower and rest. Oh here, I almost forgot." Itachi handed Sasuke an A4 size orange envelop and a device. "This packet has your enrollment to a high school out near Shibuya station, the place where we just had our ramen today," Itachi couldn't have Sasuke's high school so close to home, "and this-" Itachi pointed at the device, "you should use this to call me when you need me. There is an instruction booklet there also if you need help. Please tell me you remember how to read."

"I can read."

"Great! I'm going to sleep." Itachi turned to leave. "Goodnight, Sasuke."

"Isn't your room- that way?" Sasuke pointed down the hall. He noticed Itachi made the wrong turn for his room.

"Yes, but I want to sleep in another room tonight."

()-()-()-()

Sasuke later found where Itachi was when he woke up to use the bathroom at night. Itachi was at the largest room in the estate; he was in the master bedroom. He made sure he was discreet so that Itachi couldn't hear him. Sasuke rubbed his sleepy eyes as he was trying to focus.

In the dark, he could make out Itachi's pale and muscular body as he was lying on the bed with only his sweatpants on. The moonlight beamed softly from the windows and illuminated Itachi's back. He faintly saw Itachi clenching two pillows and muffled sobs were heard. He could hear Itachi mumbled into the pillows with a hesitance to redeem himself, "I miss you… I really miss you. Father… Mother… I'm sorry."

 

 

 

* * *

**_To be continued…_ **

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Mystery will not go unsolved.
> 
> Oh and about the eyeshadow... Just think Sage Mode... *o*;;; I thought it was so great when I saw that in the anime. It was very gay. (Orochimaru is also a sage, and he has purple eyeshadows... stop *snap* fabulous! *pose*) ^^;


	5. Bromance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I want to advise you to Google "Visual Kei". It would make this chapter a lot more enjoyable and vivid if you are familiar with the VK culture. As the fic progresses, you most likely will also be introduced to a bit more of the gyaru / gyaru-o, and lolita culture that sprang from visual kei. If you don't want to ask google-sensei, imagine VK as the Japanese version of Goth merge with Punk Rock, but Drag is considered sexy to a woman the same way a non-drag style VK guy would be to her. Complicated fandom (that I wholeheartedly indulged myself in when I was younger ;).

 

**Chapter 5**

**Bromance**

* * *

Sasuke slept peacefully that night and continued to do so as he woke up early in the afternoon. Surprisingly, Itachi was home, in the living room, on the heated tatami mats, with one elbow propping up his head as the other was thumbing through a fashion magazine. Itachi was home, and not out some place else, where ever he decided to disappear to.

Itachi flipped a page with his thumb as he idly gaze up to see Sasuke rubbing his eyes and yawned.

"Mornin'." Sasuke sniffed. A salty yet fragrant aroma filled his nostrils.

Itachi made Sasuke sit down on the cushion in front of the traditional dinning table while he brought Sasuke some hot miso soup with tofu and some steamed rice. On top of the steamed rice, Itachi places some red pickled radish bits in the shape of a heart. Sasuke didn't know what to do with it.  _Was he supposed to eat this?_ Itachi wholeheartedly smiled at Sasuke, clutching the bowl in both of his hands, waiting for Sasuke's approval. Sasuke looked at Itachi and at his rice again, he looked at Itachi and at the rice again. He felt like throwing it out the window (out of love and appreciation, of course). The red heart was too much and it made him feel really uncomfortable. "Itachi, do you want me to… like… eat this?" He turned pale.

Itachi's smile got bigger as he nodded, sparkles graced his irises.

Sasuke dipped his chopsticks in the rice, and picked up the heart-shaped radish and rice slowly. He brought it in front of his mouth. His hands were shaking. Itachi smiled and nodded again. He swallowed the lump in this throat. He took a glance at Itachi. He smiled and nodded more furiously, egging him on to take a bite. Sasuke's head was spinning. The level of bromance was passed its boiling point. "Itadakimasu…T-th-thanks for the food…" and he opened his mouth.

()-()-()-()

The brothers spent a good few hours just watching TV and talking about nothing in particular, but everything they wanted to- except for Itachi's nightly activities. Sasuke knew better than to bring that up again so soon. It would be better to play dumb and wait it out for a better opportunity to ask, sometime later  _again_.

Feeling bored, Sasuke threw a cushion at Itachi and hit his head, knocking him to the tatami. Sasuke chuckled as he saw his brother's face connected with the floor. Itachi, was quick to his feet as he grabbed the cushion with both hands and smashed it on top of Sasuke's head. Sasuke tried to run away by jumping over discarded soda cans and unopened snacks packs as he found another discarded cushion on the floor and countered it with an attack of his own. Sasuke smashed his orange-colored cushion into Itachi's blue-cushion to deflect the attack. Sasuke hopped two steps back, Itachi took two steps forward. A smirk creep up on Itachi's lips. Itachi launched at Sasuke and tripped him backwards as he slipped and fell butt-first on top of another floor cushion. Not having enough time to catch his breath and move out of the way, Itachi landed on top of his hips, straddling him with an evil grin in his eyes. "Oh, you're gonna get it now, little brother." Itachi raised his death-cushion as he smashed down on Sasuke's back repeatedly with the fury of a thousand vengeful Greek Gods. They smashed each other with floor cushions and laughed until they cried.

Everything was starting to take shape. His forgotten memories did not matter much anymore. He was enjoying his home life with an older brother who loves him. He was the only one in the world that mattered to him, and him the same. For the first time since Sasuke had left the hospital, he felt like there could be hope for happiness after all. Maybe, it wasn't so bad. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought it to be. Pictures of him and Itachi hung in the hallway, he looked back at the kid with glasses looking back at himself, like a mirror, smiling. Sasuke knew everything was going to be alright.

()-()-()-()

Itachi handed Sasuke three five-thousand yen bills and told him not to come back home too late. Sasuke wanted to explore Tokyo. He didn't know where to go, so he got off on the only station he knew: Shibuya Station. It was dark already, past dinner time, and the city was as alive as ever. The lights, the sound, and the people swirled around him in a seasonal frenzy as if they will never stop. He crossed the intersection again, but this time he waited for the light to turn green before walking. He was alone in person, but he felt like he was part of the crowd; not alone in spirit.

He looked in the coffee and cake shops and were amazed at the beautifully decorated pastries and cakes that graced the display window. A faint smell of coffee and sweets followed him as he strolled down Center Street. He kept walking, turning as his feet guided him passed the busier district. There was a faint echoing of music in the distance and he decided to follow the sound. With each step taken, the music only grew in volume. The sound led his feet to a huge gray building with the golden yellow letters "Shibuya O-West" in the front. It didn't appear to have windows, but there were these peculiar looking people lining up in front of it. Curious, he wanted to know what these people were lining up for.

A red-headed girl with short hair was standing in front of him talking to one of her friends, "Excuse me, miss…" The  _girl_  turned around to reveal that  _she_  was a  _man_  in a leather mini skirt and thick dark eyeliner with eyebrows completely shaved, the kanji character for "Love" was tattooed on  _his_  forehead. "Sorry, I mean, sir- What is this... event?" The man scratched his ass which in the process tucked up his mini skirt and fishnet stockings for all the world to see—his leopard briefs. Sasuke tried to look in another direction via second-hand embarrassment.

In the lowest, deepest baritone voice Sasuke had ever heard in his memories, this man spoke, "It's a visual kei event. Six Paths of Pain is playing. PAY ATTENTION, brother." The red head pointed at the ticket office with the cigarette between his thumb and index finger. "Are you coming or not? You are not dressed to impress- but- we don't discriminate."

"I..I…" Sasuke was dazed by the creativity and the combination of clothes in this particular crowd. He thought he has gotten most things figured out in this world. Man wearing skirts and make-up? He was confused with amusement and he wanted to find out more. He thanked the stranger with a polite bow, the red head replied with a thumbs up.

He bought a ticket and went in with that group of colorful people, following a couple of huge (probably) men in Victorian style dresses and extravagant eye make-up.

A roar of the bass guitar shook the concert hall as the lights flashed on. The crowd cheered piercingly as the headliner of this evening appeared behind a wall of smoke being raised by platforms from below the stage. There were six men, as far as he could tell, all had bright orange hair and the most awkward piercings Sasuke had ever seen. Most people he had seen would pierce their ears, and for the more adventurous ones, would have their eyebrows or belly button pierced. These guys went overboard with the piercing and pierced the bridges of their noses, their mouths, their cheeks, their ears, and god knows where else. Sasuke winced inwardly at the thought of the thick needle that created these holes. The riff of guitar and screams echoed in the concert hall, loud enough to shake the metal seats off their hinges. Sasuke bought the cheapest ticket: The pit ticket. He didn't know what it was or was getting himself into, but he knew now. With fist in the air the crowd cheered and pushed him around as if he was only the air around them. They all had their eyes on the stage, pushing closer, as close as they could possibly be to their idol.

"I'm Yahiko, and this is my master Nagato! He is the master of PAIN!" The one who named himself as Yahiko knelt on the stage ceremonially when a spotlight flashed on him, as the one named Nagato flew in on wires from the ceiling on cue. Nagato has dark reddish-burgundy hair, unlike the rest of the six. When Nagato landed in front of Yahiko, smoke burst from where he was standing as he undid his black cape to reveal a lean muscular body covered in tight black leather pants and a mesh shirt, his tattoo of a pair of bat wings shown clearly on his back.

He grabbed the mic that Yahiko handed to him.

"Come and feel my PAINNNN!" Nagato screamed as loudly as he could as the mash of guitar and drums crescendo into the beginning of another song. He spat out words that Sasuke couldn't understood in rhythm to the music, as he "death screamed" (so another fan in line had told him) in between the verses. Yahiko stood in front of Nagato as he, too, took off his black cape to reveal the same style of mesh shirt and black leather pants. Nagato sang softer now in a slower and emotional verse as he pressed his face against Yahiko's from the back. His long dark purple finger nails danced up Yahiko's torso. They drew circles on that mesh shirt as he reached further up to pinch Yahiko's nipple. With finger nails caught in the hole of the mesh shirt, Nagato ripped Yahiko's mesh shirt down the front to expose his well-toned six-packs glistering with sweat.

Nagato held the mic in front of Yahiko's lips as he moaned into the mic and licked it suggestively, swirling his tongue on the tip top and then down its length. He posed with his gaze down to the side turned towards the audience. Nagato's finger nails grazed his sensitive buds again, pressing the sharp tip of his nail into the tiny nipple hole.

Yahiko screamed in ecstasy. He dropped to his knees, kneeling in front of Nagato. With that same hand, Nagato took Yahiko's chin to yank his lips up to meet his in a deep kiss. Nagato bent down lower, digging his tongue deeper into Yahiko's mouth, lapping and sucking on his tongue. The spotlight diminished as the music came to a loud stop. The crowd cheered frantically, and some even cried.

Sasuke didn't know what to make of the show except that it was simply fascinating. A girl next to Sasuke screamed with tears in her eyes, "You are so beautiful! I love you Nagato-sama, the Master of Pain! Take my body! Take me! I want to be your slave!" Sasuke tried to back away from her as he ran into another on-coming group that was rushing to get closer to the stage. Sasuke was pushed around in the mosh pit. He felt sick and wonder why he signed up for this….as interesting as the show was.

A flash of yellow hair pushed past him as he caught the guy's eyes. It was that  _Naruto person_. Naruto also saw him as he passed Sasuke. He turned around and stared right into his eyes as they both pause to stare at each other where they stood. It must have been a good seven seconds before Naruto gasped and ran straight up to Sasuke and slapped him on the back. "It's- OH YOU! Hey! It's you, the suicide guy! Hey guys, look, this is the guy I was telling you about." Emerging from behind Naruto, stood the same two guys that he saw at the ramen house. "These are my friends. This one here is Shikamaru, and this one in green is Chouji." He looked at his friends who looked back at him and then to Sasuke. "Oh yeah, sorry, and I'm Naruto." He held out his hand to Sasuke, waiting for a shake.

Sasuke didn't respond, but crocked his head. "I'm the suicide guy, huh? Does that make you my knight in shining armor? I don't have time for this game." Sasuke turned to walk the other way. Naruto jumped right in front of him blocking his way with a wide smile.

Naruto took Sasuke's chin in his hand and ran a quick thumb over his lips. "Hey, smile a little, huh." Sasuke sucked in his breath and hissed. He pushed Naruto's hand away.

"How about not." Sasuke continued to walk away while he felt his cheeks heating up. He covered his face with his hand and ran out the door.

"Waiiittttt!" Naruto ran out after Sasuke and caught him on his shoulder. "Yo! How 'bout we hang? With us." Shikamaru and Chouji not far behind, trying to catch up to Naruto. "Shikamaru, Chouji, you guys down for some beer at my place?"

"Naw man, Naruto." The one named Chouji spoke up, "Shikamaru's gonna give me a ride to my girlfriend's. Ino kept calling me non-stop during the live. She's probably pissed off right now."

Naruto looked to Shikamaru for confirmation. "Sorry man, Naruto, another day. Chouji need t' get his pussy and I'm his ride." The was a silent pause and nobody spoke. They all looked at Shikamaru, waiting for Shikamaru to realize what he had said. "Damn, that came out wrong."

"That's what she said! Ha ha ha!" Naruto slapped his knees and fell to the floor while rolling and laughing. "You're Chouji's  _ride_ , hahaha. That  _came_  out! Ha ha ha! You are full of jokes today, Shikamaru!"

"So troublesome…" Shikamaru let out a sigh.

Chouji fist bumped Naruto as him and Shikamaru walked off to find his car.

Sasuke had been sitting on the floor with his legs crossed, just listening to the whole thing, because he'd got nothing better to do. "So you… hey you. I never caught your name." Naruto tapped the sitting Sasuke with his foot before lighting a cigarette in his mouth.

"Sasuke. Uchiha Sasuke."

"Sasuke, eh? Well, Sasuke, where are you going now?" Naruto squatted down next to him and offered him a cigarette in which he declined.

"Home, I guess."

"How 'bout we find something else to do? Since we are friends and all, we should get to know each other better, so wud do you say?" It was that big silly grin again.

Sasuke tilted his head to eye the guy standing above him curiously. "W-we are friends?"

()-()-()-()

Sasuke followed ten steps behind Naruto as the blond sprinted to a Family Mart convenience store to buy beer and another pack of cigarette. They must have walked for half an hour already, and they still haven't reach Naruto's home yet. He thought about leaving, since he got his first day of school tomorrow, but something about the blond kept him there. Naruto was like a beam of light and energy that would never fade. Even as they walked pass the residential zone and the lights were dim and the streets were quiet, Naruto did not change. He just kept talking. He talked about everything, from his favorite food to his dream of becoming a rock star, and Sasuke listened.

Sasuke listened and smiled as Naruto mouth moved and more words came out. Naruto laughed at his own jokes and Sasuke nervously laughed with him even though he didn't understand his humor. Something about Naruto made him forget about himself, a part of himself that was in the dark. Whenever Naruto spoke again, he felt lighter, like a ray of sunshine had dawned upon him, even though the winter was drawing near.

"So I was saying, Sasuke, what is it?" Sasuke was lost in his thoughts and didn't notice when Naruto was speaking to him, "I said, which high school do you go to? I mean, if you go to school at all, but me, I just like skipping." He seemed to be proud of that fact.

Shaking his head clear of his thoughts, he searched his pocket for that piece of paper he had written his school's name down. "Umm, I think it was- umm, let see-  _Principal Sarutobi Honors High School_."

"Hey! That's my high school too! Oh my God, this is fate!" Naruto took Sasuke's hands into his own, "We are going to be best friends, Sasuke!"

Sasuke inwardly winced for the second time today.  _Best friends?_ He wasn't sure if he was even going to be able to stand the blond now.  _I mean, we are so different and all…_

()-()-()-()

Naruto kicked off his shoes in two different directions and let the shoes land wherever they will land as he entered his apartment. Sasuke took off his shoes like a normal person and sat them to the side. At least, as normal as he thought he should. He picked up Naruto's shoe and set it next to his, lining their shoes up neatly.

"No need to be so courteous, make yourself at home! I moved out into my own apartment for the sole reason of not being tidy, please don't ruin that for me." Naruto took the shoes Sasuke lined up so neatly next to his and threw them in the air. Sasuke watched as the shoes bounced off the back of the door and landed on its side. "Welcome to casa Naruto, where all your dreams come true!" Naruto threw a cold beer at Sasuke and he caught it with one hand.

"What is this?" Sasuke eyed the can and shook it.

"Hey hey, don't shake that. Wait- you mean you never had a beer before?"

Sasuke shook his head.

"Oh, this is going to be great...!"

()-()-()-()

Naruto tried to pinch Sasuke's ass as Sasuke rolled to dodge on the floor in the filth that they created from discarded cans and snack wraps. "You dumb-fuck, what the hell are you doing?!" Sasuke trapped Naruto's hand between his thighs and proceed to smack Naruto's ass with his free hand before falling over on the empty beer cans.

Seeing the opportunity, Naruto got up on his unsteady legs and sat on Sasuke's face. Sasuke tried to push him off with wobbly hands. "Suck dis biitch! Ha!" Naruto said as he jokingly thrust his hips in Sasuke's face and let out a fart right after.

Furious that he had lost in his play wrestling match with Naruto, he flipped the blonde over with the momentum from his legs. The blonde landed face-first and on his stomach, unable to get up. Sasuke sat on his back and crossed his legs. "Whos da bitch now?"

They laughed and wrestled each other to the floor as they lost count how many times they each won. The only stopped to rest when they each opened a new can of beer and drank it down in one gulp. That later on inspired a match to see who could down the can of beer the fastest in one gulp.

Naruto burped. "I won again!"

"No, I won! I drank four in forty-five seconds and you only drank three and a half!" Sasuke wanted to make a point by standing up only to find out that he suddenly felt unsteady as he fell forward dropping in front of where Naruto was sitting and meeting Naruto in an accidental kiss before landing his head on Naruto's lap. Sasuke realized what had happened and froze where he was with his eyes wide open- in Naruto's  _lap_. Naruto held his breath, also with his eyes wide open. They froze, not daring to move even a single muscle. He didn't mention the incident, hoping Sasuke didn't realize what had happened in his drunken state. He crossed his fingers mentally.

()-()-()-()

Fourteen beers, three bags of spicy corn chips, and half a pack of cigarette later, Naruto somehow convinced Sasuke that his clothes suck.

"Sasuke, your clothes suck." Sasuke was convinced. "Here, let me give you some," taking Sasuke's hand in his own, he lead Sasuke to the direction of his room as they both stumbled down the short hallway and fell face down on the bed when they arrived. Rolling down the bed and getting up by holding the bed for support, Naruto opened his closet door to search for the items. In his dizzy state, Naruto managed to find what he was looking for: his black jeans, and a black long sleeve silk screen sweater with some straps and studs on it. He out grew this sweater, but it should fit Sasuke perfectly. He threw them at Sasuke and hit him in the face. "Put these on."

Sasuke finally changed into Naruto's clothes and stood up as he tripped over his own jeans a couple of times before landing face first onto the bed again. It was not an easy task.

Naruto turned him in circles to look him over.

"I think- you need something more." Naruto took off his own belt and handed it over to Sasuke who took it and slipped it into the loops of those tight jeans; they are tight even for Sasuke's size. The silver hawk buckle shined proudly under the refection from the lights. "…Almost." Taking his own pewter cross necklace from his neck, Naruto stood facing Sasuke as he brought his hands behind Sasuke's neck, securing the clasp on the necklace. The stood like this for a moment as they caught each other's eyes. They immediately turned to face a different direction as they realized that they were looking straight at each other. Naruto closed the clasp on the necklace.

"Woww…" Sasuke turned around to look at himself in the mirror, "I look… like you."

"No, you rock this sweater harder than I ever would! Just look at you!" Sasuke turned around to look at himself in the mirror again. He  _does_  look good and his old clothes  _do_  suck a lot compare to this. "Now all you need is some make-up to complete the look!"

"Wait wait wait!" Sasuke crossed his arms and frowned. "I didn't agree to put on some drag queen make-up like you, Naruto."

"It's not drag, mind you. It's visual kei! V-K-! J-rock! Do you get me?" A blank look washed across Sasuke's face. There were so much he was learning today. "And only the most handsome and confident of men can walk around proudly showing off his beauty to the world, making females cum their panties as they can only dream about fucking us." Hands on his hips, Naruto smirked confidently and winked at Sasuke who held back a blush. "I think you need some eyeliner."

He pushed Sasuke on his bed as he climbed on top of Sasuke's lap and straddled him. Sasuke didn't know why he agreed to this and why he was letting Naruto do as he pleased. Taking out his darkest eyeliner, Naruto carefully, as best as he drunkenly could, drew eyeliner on Sasuke's top eyelids. He told Sasuke to open his eyes and look up as he drew the bottom lid with the same eyeliner. Commanding Sasuke to close his eyes again, Naruto selected an eye shadow to match; a sparkly dark purple eye shadow. He applied that on his lids carefully as Sasuke closed his eyes. Naruto aimlessly drifted his eyes to the man's long eyelashes and his perfectly-shaped brow; his noticed his pink lips were losing moisture. What could he do to moisten those lips again? Naruto lean in closer to Sasuke. A small idea tug at a far corner of his mind.

Sasuke licked his lips in perfect timing. Naruto lean back and held back a blush. What the heck was he thinking?  _Sasuke is not a girl!_  Naruto took out a clear lip gloss and applied it to Sasuke's lips. He leaned back to look at his creation.  _Faultless._

Naruto got off of Sasuke's lap to let Sasuke check himself in the mirror. Sasuke blinked and smacked his lips. There was no need for blush, his cheeks were already pink from the intoxication. "I look like a fuckin' girl."

"Bro, you're gonna get mad pussy."

()-()-()-()

It was nearly five in the morning when the boys fell onto Naruto's bed, completely exhausted. Somehow, during their drunken fun night, the boys have gotten out of their shirts as their bare upper bodies tangled within themselves. Sasuke felt he was pressed up against a warm body as he lie there in the sweat-drenched sheets by a strong arm that pulled him closer. He felt a leg climbed over his thighs, locking him in a full-body embrace. He forgot where he was, but he felt warm and safe as he was falling asleep in this person's arms. He closed his eyes and gave permission to the intoxication as it took over his body.

Maybe, for once, he could drown in a dreamless sleep instead of drowning in a puddle of blood in a nightmare.

 

* * *

_**To be continued…** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I wrote fluff.
> 
> I wrote fluff. Fluff comedy.  
> And I made Naruto fart in Sasuke's face.
> 
> Nagato-sama please punish me... T_T
> 
> oh, but honey, don't do that... *pushes Nagato's hand away*


	6. Green Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danger lurks in every turn, Sasuke, oblivious and innocent to the world around him, was an easy prey to the jaws of predators--that would have been the case if it was not for Naruto though... But who ever told Sasuke that Naruto was safe to be around in the first place...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm a huge fan of Attack on Titans and Breaking Bad as well! Oh, the object references~! In the prologue, the restrains used on Sasuke was based on the straps from the 3D maneuver gear. HA! I don't do crossovers, but I steal their objects! There are 2 more object references in this chapter, can you find them? XD

 

**  
Chapter 6**

**Green Fairy**

* * *

_The initial sensation was warmth._

Warmth that surrounded his body in an envelope of pure bliss; he breathed into it, caressing the smooth skin with his face.  _Where was he?_ He didn't care. It was cold outside of the touch and he never wanted to be part from it. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of unwashed laundry and all the thoughts of those delights faded away. He blinked his eyes opened slowly to a blurry image of a hand that lay in front of him. No, that was not his own hand, and those strong arms holding him were not his own.

_The second was the vibration of sound._

He just noticed it now in his hazy state, that the true perpetrator that woke him up was a melodic ringing, the sound quality was poorly produced electronically and was muffled. His eyes searched for where the sound could have came from. It was under the clothes that he discarded on the floor. Memories rushed back to him; the events of his first experience of drunkenness: the make-up, the clothes, the beer, the concert... He met a guy named Naruto.

 _Right, then, this must his room, if this is his room and this is his bed, then, these are—_ his arms holding onto him. And Naruto had somehow held onto his body during the night, both of them were half bare with only their lower halves covered by long pants. Oh  _gawd._

His eyes opened wide at the sight as he pushed out of that lose grasp. He rolled on the floor and fell as he mistook the edge of the bed to be much further away. His head pounded at him and he felt tired. As he tried to bring himself into composure, his head only hurt more.

The ringing sound was getting louder as he wobbly approached the noise. It must have been his cellphone. He dug around on his discarded pile of clothes on the floor quickly before locating the device. It only has one bar of battery left and it was about to die. He pressed the green button and held the device next to his ear, "hello…?"

"Hey, Sasuke, where are you? You didn't come back last night and I've been calling you and sending you text messages. Are you ok? Where are you?"

It was his brother, and he was angry. What are text messages?

"Itachi, I'm just at a friend's house. I'm sorry... I felt asleep. Yeah..."

"Do you know what today is? The first day of school, and where are you?! What friend?"

Sasuke looked at the clock on the wall, it was passed 1pm. "Oh …. I will- Itachi I'll call you later. I'm going to go to school now…"

"Hey wait, but what about –" Sasuke hung up on his brother as he jumped on the bed rocking the sleeping form. The blond slowly gained consciousness as he rubbed his eyes. Sasuke smacked him with a pillow on the head twice before throwing it against the wall and using his feet to nudge the side of his head.

"Hey stupid, wake up... wake up, wake up!" Naruto sat up, looked at the clock on his wall, and yawned lazily into a stretch.

"But why? I want to sleep longer…" He rubbed both sides of his head with his fingers as he fell backwards onto the pillow and turned the other way. "Goodnight—"

"Naruto, the first day of school—We go to the same school right? Let's go! Come on, get up!"Sasuke had resorted to begging now, "P-please? For me? I'm new there and I can't afford to miss the first day..." Naruto put the thick blanket over his head, ignoring Sasuke. He needed his sleep, and school was the last thing on his mind. "Ah dammit." With both hands, Sasuke lifted the blanket and went under it. It was warm and comfortable indeed, but he was not about to let comfort take over his mode of revenge and just lay there and sleep. He started to poke Naruto to test for his ticklish spots. He found them all, it was everywhere. Naruto was laughing and tearing as he rolled off the bed and landed by the pile that was his school uniform. Naruto was up.

They both raced to the bathroom together to get first dips on the toilet. They drank so much beer, and they both needed to go as bad. As they reached the bathroom, they found something more immediate that they needed to take care of. Laughter burst forth when they looked at each other in the mirror. The make-up that Naruto put on him was smeared all over his face, and so was Naruto's own. "Sasuke, we have to get this shit off our faces."

"Yeah, I look like a drag queen."

"You wish you look like a drag queen. You're more like a drag beggar to me." Naruto snorted.

Sasuke crossed his arms in defense, as Naruto wiped the make-up off his eyes carefully with a cotton pad. "And who's fault was that?"

"Ok ok, it's my fault, but you slept with it on. Before that you look great though." Naruto winked at him. Sasuke a small blush was trying to creep up on his cheeks. "And it's not drag… that term is so generic and  _feminine_. Why can't men wear eyeliner? My friend, Gaara wears these thick eyeliner and a leather skirt with fishnet stockings, he's so knees deep in pussy every single day that he had no time to study. He just fuck the girl into doing his homework for him or the teachers to pass his class, and that's how he's been passing high school for the last three years. Lucky bastard…"

Sasuke was reminded of someone that had looked like the description at the concert hall, but couldn't recall whom. Everybody was looking quite  _unique_  there. "Great story, Naruto, but you look terrible with orange eye make-up, please don't do  _this_  again." Sasuke wiped the remnants of Naruto's make-up with his thumb. It was the first time seeing Naruto without some sort of make-up or eyeliner on. The guy was good looking to say the least; with big blue eyes and that gorgeous looking skin. He shook his head clear of that thought and lowered his gaze. His eyes dropped to a particular spot on Naruto's body. He stared at the circular design on his stomach. "Nice... tattoo." Trying hard to remember the word that he learned from watching it on TV.

"Yeah, it's nice." Was all Naruto said. There was a certain quality to the tone of his voice and his eyes looked serious for a moment before turning back into its usual brightness. He walked towards his room, and gestured for Sasuke to follow. "Come on, let's get ready for school."

Naruto picked up his school uniform on the floor with the tip of his toes. He flung them onto his bed; Gray pants, white dress shirt, and a black outer coat with a high collar—the typical Japanese school uniform. He didn't even finish buttoning his shirt when he walked out of the door with a small backpack. "What are you doing, Sasuke, didn't you want to go?" Sasuke stood at the threshold of his room.

"I—" Sasuke bit his lips, "I don't exactly have a school uniform to wear…"

()-()-()-()

Naruto pulled something out from the back of the closet and threw them at Sasuke's feet. It was his summer uniform: short sleeves dress shirt with grey pants made with thinner materials than the winter ones. "Sorry, I only have one set of winter." Sasuke put it on, and to his non-surprise, the clothes were a little big on him, just like Naruto's other clothes. With not much of a choice, he wore his own jacket instead of the regulated school jacket. Naruto knew Sasuke was going to be scold at for that, but at least he'll be warm. "Here." Naruto slung a red scarf around his neck. The scarf was a bit long but it'll do for now.

()-()-()-()

Surely, the scolding from the principal was due in time, but not for Sasuke. The principal blamed Sasuke's choice of uniform attire and tardiness on Naruto's lack of discipline from his parents. Naruto reasoned that he was eighteen years old already and wanted to live according to his own rules. Principal Sarutobi gave him an ultimatum to change over before they kick him out of school. The principal told Naruto to stay away from Sasuke, be that he will be a bad example for the new student to follow. Sasuke watched as he felt uneasiness crept up his throat like a big lump that was stuck and felt like it was his fault for the ultimatum they imposed on Naruto by the headmaster. Sasuke was made to sit in the principal's office and listen to him talk about the school's history and rules and regulations while Naruto was sent back to his homeroom to sit in a corner to complete his homework assignments.

The clock ticked as they counted in silence the seconds until the clock strikes four-thirty when the last bell rang.

Sasuke strolled out of the front gate of the school with his hands in his pockets. He realized that he was alone again. A gust of wind picked up and blew a leaf to his face. He sneezed. He thought about how he is going to get home and where to turn to get to the station as he walked down the stairs. He took out his phone, about to make a call to Itachi.

"Yo." At the bottom of the stairs, facing the front gate was Naruto, leaning by the tree, and propping his body up with one leg; one arm was crossed at his chest. A smug look on his face. "Did you enjoy the field-trip at  _Principal Monkey-Butt'_ s office?" He lit the cigarette between his teeth and blew out a puff of smoke.

"No thanks to you." A smile stole its way onto Sasuke's lips as he quickly turned that smile into a flat line again to keep his cool. He waved the bitter-smelling smoke away from his face. "I thought you went home already, and your smoking habit is disgusting."

"Naw, I was waiting for you." He walked up to face Sasuke as he sneezed again and covered his mouth. He wiped his nose that was turning pink from the dry weather. Naruto flicked the cigarette into the air behind Sasuke's ear. "We are going to see  _6 Paths_  again—" Naruto reached up behind Sasuke's neck with both hands to tuck on the soft red scarf. The cigarette flipped in the air. "—would you like to join us?" He continued the motion until he wrapped the scarf around Sasuke's neck, and let the tasseled end of the scarf drop to the front of his jacket. The thrown cigarette continued to flip towards the ground. The tip of the scarf slipped from Naruto's fingers. The cigarette hit the floor.

Naruto didn't realize how close their faces were again. Black orbs met with clear blue for just a single moment as it froze in time. Sasuke's breath was moist and warm against his lips. Naruto need to stop thinking about— _these_  kinds of strange thoughts. Damn this ungodly hangover.

Sasuke took a deep breath.

The scarf was warm and it smelled like Naruto's cigarettes.

The walked away leaving the cigarette bud behind to burn. The orange bud flashed for the last time, and it was no more.

 

()-()-()-()

They went back to the same ramen-house as Naruto loudly and rudely ordered his third bowl of chashu miso ramen and another round of beer. He burped loudly as he finished eating, patting his stomach. "Hey you guys, today is my treat. Y'all got that?" He handed the owner a bunch of bills and told her to keep the change. The owner bowed a couple of times and was thankful to receive the money. "Come on guys, let's go!" Without waiting for anyone, he went on ahead to lead the way. Chouji caught up to Naruto from behind as Sasuke and Shikamaru stayed in the back.

Shikamaru was the first to break the silence. "Ya know, Sasuke," The Shikamaru guy was talking to him, "Naruto might not look or act like it, but he came from a wealthy family, the Uzumaki, who is a close business associates of my family's, the Nara. If you were wondering how he's been paying for everything, it's because his dad sends him money regularly, as much as he wants…"

"And?"

"And— actually, what I'm trying to say is… I don't want you to judge him for his bad habits and the way he spends money. We knew him long enough to know that he's not a bad person, but we all had our traumas, ya know?" Sasuke nodded slowly, trying to take in the meaning behind Shikamaru's vague explainations. "Some tremors run deep… and could change a person, completely—" Shikamaru paused. "—Naruto's not there yet, but I think he's heading towards that path sometimes and... I'm really worried." Sasuke had remembered the path in which he had chosen just not too long ago. Shikamaru continued, "He wants to be bad. He wants to be rude. He wants to skip school—even though he loves to study…"

Sasuke finally turned to look at Shikamaru as they walked, "Then why…?"

"And this is where I have to stop talking, Sasuke-kun. Just let him do what makes him happy, ok?"

Naruto turned around to flip them off with both hands. Shikamaru waved back and chuckled.

 

()-()-()-()

After three solid hours of screaming, loud metal music, flashy stage lights, and eye-candy erotica, Naruto waved goodbye to Chouji and Shikamaru. Ino called again and was upset at some girl problems that he most likely cannot solve. Sasuke stuck around.

"What are we going to do now?" They stopped walking until they stopped at an alleyway somewhere far from the arena by walking distance. Sasuke lean against the brick wall while Naruto squatted to smoke another cigarette. The street lamp above them flickered and buzzed as another insect flew into it. Its lifeless body then dropped to the puddle below, still twitching.

"We can start by you not smoking." Sasuke said flatly.

Naruto was offended. "And who died and made you my mom?"

"You're disgusting."

As Sasuke turned to walk away from Naruto with hands in his coat pockets, a door in front of him opened up. A tall, dark, and buff-looking man with a tight-fitting shirt and sunglasses threw someone around their age out the door. The kid landed on the floor in front of him in a thuck as an alley dog barked and wagged its tail in his direction. The young man dusted himself off without looking at them, he spat on the ground as he walked away with the alley dog following behind, curses under his breath.

Out through the door behind the buff man, peeked something orange. "Get out and stay out. You are not friends of the band." It was Yahiko from  _6 Paths of Pain_. From behind Yahiko, the one who called himself Nagato walked out calmly, no longer in his stage outfit, he was dressed in a white buttoned-up shirt with its sleeve rolled up, Nagato's Virgin Mary tattoo was half visible just below his sleeve.

Naruto's mouth was wide open. It was 6 Paths themselves and he couldn't help but fanboy. He couldn't believe his eyes. It was them in real person, so close to them, with nobody else around. Oh god, oh god, oh  _GOD_.

Nagato saw them from behind his shades. He tipped his sunglasses down to take a good look at the two guys in front of him.  _Both, very good looking._  He shot a look at Yahiko who smirked back. "Hey, you two," Yahiko combed through his hair with his fingers, "would you like to help me light my cigarette-" He pointed with his thumb as he grinned, "—inside?"

"Me— I mean, us?" Yahiko nodded and gestured for them to follow. Naruto ran from behind to grab Sasuke's hand and pulled him forward, following Yahiko's lead.

Sasuke, couldn't for the life of him, understand why the guys were wearing sunglasses at night.

 

()-()-()-()

It was literally a hole in the wall, but not the typical shabby place that one would expect. It was very well decorated in the interior with glowing neon black lights, sofas, and a stripper pole, loud techno music was playing in the background. Posters of the band plastered loosely on the wall along with several other posters of nuddy girls in very complicated positions. One of the girls in the poster held a whip and wore a mask, her red high heel shoes resting comfortably on another girl's back. This place even has its own mini bar. Sitting on the different velvet sofas were members of the band and half-dressed groupie chicks. One of the members of 6 Paths was in the far corner with two completely naked girls, one riding his hips while he fingered the other one. It was all in plain sight and nobody raised an eye at them, for it was probably a normal occurrence for this circle. Nagato took the biggest sofa and plopped right in the middle of it. Sasuke and Naruto followed in Yahiko's footsteps, each taking a side and sat down next to Nagato. They looked around and at each other, bewildered and nervous at the same time. The leader poured them each a drink. It was green and it smelled herby. Naruto never seen it in his life, he usually go for the beer.

"You should try it." Yahiko urged them as he downed the liquor in one gulp. Sasuke looked to Naruto for confirmation and Naruto nodded. They both down the green liquor in one breath. It was strong, and Sasuke couldn't help but gagged and coughed a few times. Naruto cleared his throat. It was strong indeed.

"Absinthe." Nagato spoke, "the green fairy drink." With one hand on the sofa cushion as support, Nagato lean in close to Naruto's ear and whispered, "Do you believe in magic?" Naruto felt his spine chilled at his bitter-sweet melodic voice. Naruto could have sworn Nagato flicked his ear with his tongue.

Yahiko took out a small bag, in it held bits and pieces that resembled blue-colored ice. He poured some onto the table in front of them and smashed it with the hilt of a knife, turning the substance into fine white powder.

He had a knife tucked in his belt the whole time. Naruto shuddered at that thought.

Instantly, these half-dressed, some topless, girls came over to Yahiko to hang themselves over his shoulders, pushing, all begging for a hit—to  _get high_. Yahiko expertly separated the powder up in lines as he sniffed one of the lines in his nose with a rolled up five-thousand yen bill. He let out a loud "Yeah!" as he punched the sofa with his fist. He offered the rolled-bill to the best looking girl there to go second.

"You want to try?" Nagato moved his hand that was previously supporting him on the sofa and slipped it onto Naruto's thigh, "I promise it will be good." He gave Naruto's thigh a hard squeeze, drawing a hiss from Naruto. Seeing that Naruto didn't complaint, his hand tried its luck in moving further up. "The meth, of course." Nagato lean back to let Naruto take the rolled up money from Yahiko's hand, separating the closeness of their bodies. Naruto stared at it between his fingers.

Nagato turned his eyes on Sasuke as he took another sip of absinthe. Sasuke was unaware of his movements until it was too late, the older man grabbed his chin and kissed him with his mouth open, the liquor escaped from the corner of Sasuke's mouth as he drank the liquid that Nagato forced down his throat. He tried to cough, but Nagato's mouth did not leave his. His tongue pushed deeper into Sasuke's own as Sasuke choked on the bitterness of the liquor. Sasuke was feeling drunk again, knowing what this feeling was from his most recent experience. Sasuke's body felt hot as his vision blurred into seeing doubles in front of him.

Naruto kept his attention on the rolled-paper, in deep thoughts, contemplated in trying this  _meth-business_  as he was oblivious to Sasuke's situation.

Nagato slipped a quick hand inside the front of Sasuke's pants and rubbed the bottom of his balls up and down with two fingers through his thin briefs. Sasuke was caught by surprised and yelped loudly. He tried his best to push Nagato off of him. Nagato didn't let up, and instead, tighten the hold on his member through his underwear in a possessive grip, mouth still connected to Sasuke's. Sasuke screamed at his sudden administrations as he fell himself harden. The sensation was so foreign to him and it felt… it felt… he felt violated, but secretly... _secretly_... well, he haven't decided what that 'secretly' was yet.

That caught Naruto's attention as he heard Sasuke's reaction. "You… Sasuke!" He threw the rolled-paper away and stood up in a haste, pushing Nagato off of Sasuke's with a strong grip. Nagato fell back and landed on the back of the sofa without even breathing a single sound of surprise. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's hand and pulled him over the short table in front of them, knocking over the drinks and the drugs. Sasuke stumbled behind Naruto as Naruto weaved through the girls and the broken bottles on the floor unskillfully. They stumbled out the door and closed it behind them.

" _Leaving so soon?!"_  Yahiko's voice was heard from a distance behind the door as they all laughed. The party will go on without them.

 

()-()-()-()

"The fans would literally kill to be in your position!" Naruto put a hand over Sasuke's forehead to check his temperature. Honestly, Naruto was a little bit jealous, but not jealous enough to make out with a guy, of course. "Next time just be more careful, he's a nice guy, just say 'no' to him." Sasuke sat up on the floor to lean his back against a pillow. "I would have liked to stay, but you didn't look like you enjoyed it—so …"

Sasuke took a sip from a glass of ice water; feeling the condensation on the cool glass as he pressed the glass on his heated cheeks. "It was weird… I can't say I didn't enjoy it, but it was weird."

"So you liked it?"

"No, not that either." He thought back to the situation in the room, and Nagato's slim and skillful fingers rubbing against his privates. "I don't know. I'm not sure..." It was definitely different to have another person touching his junk. "It was just harmless fun, now that I thought about it."

"Were you always into that?" Naruto tilted his head quizzically. "I mean, that's cool and all. I'm quite open-minded as long as it's not me."

"I—I…" Sasuke thought for a moment. What was he supposed to be? He didn't even know himself or have a concept of how he was supposed to act. Was there a way he was supposed act? He often wondered what his old self would say to him. What was he like before he lost his memories. "I don't even know what I am…"

"Well, it's normal not to know ourselves, Sasuke." Naruto pat him on the back as he handed him a beer. Sasuke held the beer to his cheek without opening it. "At our age, I don't even know what I want to do tomorrow, no wait—I do, I want to eat ramen."

"No, I don't think you understand…" Sasuke rolled the can of beer up from the bridge of his nose to his forehead.

"What do you mean?"

Sasuke closed his eyes. "This is not easy to say, but I… suffered some kind of a head injury and lost my memories. I had just recently been admitted out of the hospital. I don't know who I am. What I am. My morals. What I like, what I dislike. It's all a blank. I didn't remember my parents or my own name. I am relearning everything about myself and the world. My only connection to my memories is my older brother." He thought to the time Itachi came home injured with a bag full of money—and a gun. "And I am not even sure about him… How did we manage to get a house out of no where? I have so many questions and not enough answers…Sometimes I just wish I could, you know," Sasuke looked into Naruto's eyes while holding onto the cold can of beer over the bridge of his nose, "—disappear." Naruto kept his eyes on Sasuke. He knew what Sasuke was referring to.

"You mean you don't remember a thing about yourself at all?" Sasuke shook his head. Naruto plopped his chin on a pillow that was on the floor, facing Sasuke. His eyes were filled with a certain type of regret and seriousness that Sasuke had never seen before during his short time knowing the blond. "I also had a past," Naruto started out slowly, "that I wish I could forget." Sasuke were all ears. "I wish one day, my memories could just be sweep away… poof." Naruto extended his hand that was in a loose fist and released his fingers. "Like, disappear…" Naruto covered his eyes with his hands as tears were threatening to fall. Then he was quiet. The air in the room was tense.

Naruto took a deep breath, "I killed him…" Sasuke held his breath and swallowed a lump in his throat. He pressed his dried lips together as he felt the air in the room changed. Naruto spoke on, his voice cracking. "I-I killed my twin brother."

_The last sensation was Fear._

"I killed him…"

* * *

_**To be Continued…** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: From here on out, the story will get more complicated and will really take a dramatic turn... hopefully? Haha....
> 
> So, did you guys find the objects? :D


	7. Menma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I try to take the time to answer everyone unless it was an anon account ^^; I hope you enjoy the story thus far as it will get more intense from this point on. I treasure everyone's comments and reviews!
> 
> Menma is not OC! :D If you've seen the 6th movie, he was Naruto's doppelganger from another world (HA!). I thought he was perfect for this fic so I had to use him ^^ Menma in Japanese is another ramen topping, like Naruto. I'm like incredibly attracted to Menma [dark!Naruto] (even more than Naruto) It's terrible, I know. Google 'Menma Naruto' and look at the images. Menma is like so drool worthy.
> 
> Onward~~

 

"I killed my twin brother… I killed him!" Sasuke widen his eyes in shock as he listened to Naruto, but did not make a sound as he listened on, "but—but it was an accident. I didn't mean to—He just…"

"Tell me." Sasuke wanted to know his story.

"It was… it was like this…" Naruto explained as Sasuke listened intently; his thoughts drifted off to the events that followed of that fateful day. "His name was Menma."

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Menma**

* * *

Naruto tapped his pen on the algebra text book as his foot moved to the rhythm of the soft pop music in the background. It was his homework music; just the right combinations of upbeats without lyrics that were too emotional to distract him from studying for the final exam tomorrow. He must ace this subject without failed. A single 'B' mark would stand out like a sore thumb amongst the other A's and he would not let himself off that easily.

He was interrupted when someone busted in through the door unannounced. He was talking loudly on his cellphone as he threw himself on Naruto's bed, not his  _own_  bed. It was Naruto's twin brother who enjoyed the routine of dominating his space and taking his stuff.

"So I was saying—" Menma kicked off his socks and shoved his feet onto Naruto's pillow, "—that man-whore kept coming back for more, isn't that something?" He laughed as he combed his fingers through his nappy black hair. Naruto noted the black hair that Menma had recently dyed to purposefully distinguish himself from him. "I really liked him at first, but he became too much of a burden." He struggled to take his shirt off while keeping the phone to his ear. "Naw, I think I will keep him around for fun. His virgin ass so fuckin' tight and I love the way he moans." He laughed some more as he picked his nose with his pinky finger and wiped it on Naruto's bed covers. Naruto furrowed his brow in disgust. His brother was always like this, and he could never get used to it.

"Menma, what the hell?!" Naruto stood up, only to have Menma ignore him and turned his back on him as he continued to talk on the phone.

Menma picked his ear with the same pinky finger. "I pushed that bitch down the steps and he still came crawling back to tell me he  _loves_  me or some shit. No no, he didn't get hurt. It was like three steps, anyways… Well, I can't help it if bitch wants the  _D_ , ya know whut I'm sayin'?" He laughed as took out a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket and lit the cancer stick between his lips.

"Menma, were you listening?! And no smoking in the room! AND, get off my bed!" Naruto yanked the cigarette from his mouth and threw it outside the window. Menma blew smoke in Naruto's face. Naruto waved a hand in front of his face to get rid of the screen of smoke. "You're disgusting." Naruto hissed. The cigarette hit the pavement on the ground floor and bounced a few times before the bud burned out, leaving only its ash behind.

"Get out and stay out!"Menma pushed Naruto roughly out of their room. Naruto fell to the floor on his bottom, one hand above his head as he blocked the textbook Menma had thrown at him. A soft click, and Menma had locked the door. Naruto tried to open it and knocked, pounding on the hallow hardwood door.

"Hey, open this door right now! It's my room too!"

He heard a click, as the door peek open again, but only a small crack. Menma was holding something in his hand through the crack; Naruto's ipod with headphones wrapped around its case. Naruto took it and said nothing. Menma said nothing as well and closed the door again, the click from the lock was not heard. Naruto studied in the living room.

Menma wasn't always like this. When they were little, he would always stand up for him when bullies were trying to pick on him. Menma would always be the one with the bloody fists and get scolded by their parents. Menma was always the one to blame—and he took it. As they grew up, Menma had taken on a darker personality due to peer pressure and hanging out with the wrong crowd. He started smoking and Naruto absolutely hated it.

Menma's regular run-in with the law only multiply as the scars on his body increased due to the fights, but, they were all for him; those bastards that would always come after Naruto to do their homework for them, and threaten to beat him up when he said he wouldn't.

Naruto remembered and he was always grateful when Menma show up before he got hurt. One time, a guy had pushed Naruto into a back alley as he threatened Naruto to do his history homework for him. When Naruto said he wouldn't, the guy grabbed the front of his shirt and ripped it open, exposing his bare chest. Naruto tried to cover as he stumbled and attempted to runaway only to be tripped over by the guy's foot. The guy sat on his hips as he undid Naruto's school belt in a frenzy and unzipped his school pants, but not before sending a punch right to his stomach. He gasped for air. Naruto remembered squirming painfully on the floor as his vision was blurred with pain. The guy  _touched_ him. Out of his blurry vision, as he was knocked on the floor, he could see Menma running up behind to choke the guy as he pressed the bully against the brick wall. The bully begged for his life as Menma varied his punches from his face and his stomach until the bully's blood was splashed across Menma's face—the same face as his own, but with the ferocity of a rabid animal unleashed.

Naruto tapped his pen on his algebra textbook to the beat of the song in his headphone, a smile graced across his lips.

()-()-()-()

Menma went home ahead first as Naruto said he was going out. He was going to meet Shikamaru and Chouji for shaved ice. It was summer and shaved ice sounded like an excellent idea.

"Wait guys, I forgot my cellphone at home," Naruto checked his pockets and his book bag again. "I'll meet you guys there later. It'll only take ten minutes, I promise!" He waved a small goodbye as he ran home.

The house was as tidy and clean as always. His mom was out at her women's group on Thursdays and his dad was at work. The sun was setting, its ominous glow tinted everything in the house with a shade of orange. He heard a loud crash coming from his room. The sound only increased and grew in frantic as he came closer. He crouched down and looked through the keyhole to his room. It was unclear but he could make out what was happening.

"I said bend over, dammit." His brother had taken someone by the hair and threw him on the desk, knocking his lamp out the window. Naruto's homework were scattered on the floor. The guy beneath Menma struggled as Menma ripped his pants off and pulled it down to his ankle. The guy struggled to stand, only to be shoved back onto the table again by his dark hair. He could hear the guy crying, and murmuring something about loving him still. Menma undid his own pants with one hand as he took out his cock. Without preparation, he shoved his cock into the guy's ass earning a tearful scream that shook the air in his room. He pushed in further, burying his heated length to the hilt until he can no more, and pulled back, only to slam into the tight hole again and again, repeating with more speed and velocity. "Stop crying and say you want my dick." As he pounded into the guy again. "Say it!" The guy cried and screamed out in pain. He slapped the guy in the back of the head.

"It hurt-s-.. Please, I love you, but I can't do this anymore…!"

"Say you want my fat dick in your man-pussy!" He pulled the guy's hair back and slammed his face on the table. "Say it!"

"I-I want your… Please, d-don't make me say it…!"

Kicking over an empty beer bottle, Menma pulled the guy up by the hair and threw him on Naruto's bed.

Menma raped the guy on Naruto's bed as Naruto watched in horror through the keyhole. His eyes were tearing up and he could not stop himself from shaking. He covered his mouth with one hand and breathed into it to keep from hyperventilating.

"Pl-please… someone save me…" The guy cried out as Menma assaulted his hole again. Menma came into this guy in a grunt as the guy buried his face in Naruto's pillow, crying his eyes out. Menma pulled out of him as he watched his own semen leak out from the guy's abused ass. Naruto could hear his muffled cry through the door. "Save me… somebody save me…"

_He loves his brother, but this is not right! Not right at all!_

A gut feeling told him that he must recue this person despite the fact that he must be on  _his brother's side_. Naruto felt his insides boiled as he rushed in the door, fist in hand, he punched Menma in the back of the head. Menma fell to the floor and held his head in pain. "Aahh!" Seeing the opportunity, the guy wrapped himself up in his bed sheets and covered his entire body, including his face. He was too embarrassed to face anyone else.

Naruto proceeded to elbow Menma in the back while he was down. "You bastard!" Naruto flipped Menma over on his back as he straddle him on his chest. He punched his twin brother in the face with all his strength, spitting out each word as he land another punch, "You. Heartless. Fuckin'. Disgusting. Bastard!"

Menma shoved Naruto off with one arm. Naruto rolled on the carpet and landed on his feet, one hand balancing himself using the floor while wiping his mouth with the other. Menma also got up and wiped his mouth with his thumb. He looked at his thumb and found a trace of blood between his nail. That angered him. He rushed at Naruto with a punch as Naruto blocked by catching his punch in his hands then twisting it into a lock behind Menma's back. Menma kicked backwards with his right foot to trip Naruto as he fell backwards on top on naruto. Thinking quickly, Naruto rolled over on top on Menma by swinging over his thigh.

The twins were matched evenly until Naruto missed a punch, giving Menma the time to jump on top of their desk. Menma reached to pull Naruto's arm into a lock, but he too missed catching onto Naruto's arm as the force he used to pull brought him stumbling backwards. Naruto fell forward and accidentally head-butted Menma in the knee. Menma gasped as he was trying to stop himself from falling, but slipped on a pencil that was on the desk.

Clinging desperately to the air in front of him, Menma fell backwards through the window. Naruto tried to catch his hand as Menma reached out to him. Their fingertips touched, but it was too late. "Menmaaa!" Naruto watched desperately as his dark-hair twin fell out the window, his body bounced a few times on the pavement until it was twisted into a grotesque stop in a pile of broken limbs. Blood poured out slowly from Menma's head.

Menma kept his eyes opened as he was conscious through the fall. He felt the blood leaked from his head as his consciousness slowly faded; the fire that was once fierce in his eyes was beginning to burn out, like a cigarette bud that's once been discarded on the cold pavement.

He kept his eyes opened to look at the bloodstained green grass as a soft wind blew through the blades. There was a smile on his face. He was glad that, in the end, Naruto was the one who judged him—his judge, his defense, his executioner, and his life sentence. If fate had allowed him to choose whether him or Naruto should be the one to die, he would have chosen himself anyways. He had no more regrets in this world.  _Except for maybe a last cigarette… Or maybe he might just have to leave this world with a small regret. Oh well..._

"Menmaa!" Naruto cried out again from the window. His twin brother was not moving and blood painted the pavement below.

The boy that was wrapped in Naruto's bedsheets dropped them as he pulled his pants up from his ankles and ran out of his room covering his tear-stained face. Naruto didn't know who he was and never saw him again.

()-()-()-()

Sasuke patted Naruto's soft hair as Naruto rested his head in Sasuke's lap. "And then what happened?" Sasuke asked sympathetically.

"And then I couldn't take it anymore. Everything at home reminded me of Menma… Sometimes, at night, I swore I could hear Menma talking on the phone, and when I opened my eyes, he wasn't there. It was just his bed… empty. He wasn't there, and—and I couldn't take it that he wasn't there anymore. If I had only caught his hand in time; I was a millisecond too late…"

"Naruto, it was an accident... And accidents happen."

"I feel like, one of us were—" Naruto paused to find the right word, "— _fated_  to die and it was supposed to be me—many times over, but… but… Menma was always the one there to rescue me, saving me from danger, over and over…"

"You shouldn't blame yourself, he was doing something bad, and you were trying to help."

"…but I never meant to kill him. I only wanted to beat some sense into him. And now—" Naruto buried his face in Sasuke's lap, "—I'll never see him again. " Naruto propped himself back up in a sitting position. He sat next to Sasuke, their knees touching. "I could no longer stand being at home so I moved out into this apartment. My parents supported my decision and gave me money every week. I avoided my old high school and enrolled into this one we go to now." He kicked an empty beer can and watched as it hit the wall in front of him. "I wanted to runaway from everything that reminded me of him, but I cannot bear to be part from him. It was as if a part of me had disappeared, been ripped away from me. I wanted to preserve what memories I had of him and embraced him as a part of me so that he could never part from me again. I…I miss him."

"Is that why you started smoking as well, and skipping school, and ya know… all  _that_."

"Now that we talked about it- I guess I did that out of instinct, to keep him alive, but that was not the only thing I did." Naruto pulled up his shirt, it was that circular tribal style tattoo that Sasuke saw earlier. "I wanted to have physical evidence that would always reminds me of Menma, that we were born of the same womb, and were once connected by the same umbilical cord, thus, this tattoo on my stomach surrounding my belly button."

Sasuke was about to speak again, but his phone interrupted as it rang, changing the mood of things; its melodic sound served as a stark contrast to Naruto's story. It was no doubt that it was his brother calling. He took a look at the screen and put the phone on the pillow next to him without answering it.

"You should answer that."

"I don't feel like it at the moment."

"But your brother… he could be worried sick." Naruto can sympathize, having just talked about his twin in such a manner.

"He probably is… I'll apologize in the morning. Don't worry about it." Sasuke got up from the floor and walk towards Naruto's room. He paused in his step to turn back to look at him. "Could I stay here again tonight?"

()-()-()-()

Naruto fell asleep almost instantly as the night carried him off to dreamland. He felt like a great weight has been lifted off of him to get Menma's story off of his chest. He curled his fingers on Sasuke's wrist.

But Sasuke couldn't sleep.

Despite having been drunk after a wild partying night, thinking on the events of the night had kept him awake. He thought about what Naruto had told him and what he went through to get to where he is now. Naruto was strong, but he couldn't hold on alone by himself. He needed his friends: Chouji, Shikamaru, and now him. He felt like an important part in someone's world—In Naruto's world, and that made him smile just a little bit more.

He also remembered Nagato forcing his tongue down his throat and blushed at that thought. He looked over at Naruto next to him on the bed who was fast asleep, his pink lips moist and plump under the pale moonlight. Sasuke lean in closer to Naruto to look at those magnificent lips. He wondered what they would taste like. Would it be rough and wild like Nagato's or will it be soft and airy like Naruto's hair? They sure do look soft and moist. Sasuke licked his lips and smacked them together to moisten his lips, he leaned so close to Naruto's face, he could feel his breath on his cheek. Sasuke breathed out, and sucked in air through his teeth. Naruto's breath was steady, but his own heart was beating out of his chest.

 _No._  He stopped himself.

He sat on the bed with the pillow behind his back. He ran his fingers through Naruto's golden locks, patting him softly as he slept. Naruto purred into his touch. He was like a small animal. He wished with all his might, that starting at this moment, he only wanted Naruto to be happy. Sasuke shouldn't bother him about the cigarettes again, if that was the way for him to stay sane, then so be it.

He watched Naruto sleep, until the night too came and claimed Sasuke's in a peaceful slumber.

()-()-()-()

Itachi slammed his phone on the table, almost hard enough to break it. Sasuke ignored his call again. He wondered if his little brother was safe. He wondered if he had put on an extra coat so he wouldn't catch the cold. He wondered if he was fitting into this world fine without his memories. His head hurt and taking acetaminophen did not help.

He looked over at a family portrait on the desk as he ran a finger over Sasuke's smiling image. Such lies. Such guilt.

He wondered if his decision to bring Sasuke into another world was the right decision after all.

Of course it was. What other choices did he have?!

He would have gladly kill for him.

Itachi squeezed his eyes shut as he let the hot water run down his back and into his now shorter hair. He brushed through his silky locks and he thought about the decisions that he had made up to this point. His thoughts went backward in time as snippets in his memories flash in his mind.

_The heart on the rice. Sasuke's mouth as he took a bite._

_Sasuke's shoulder as he caught him at the intersection._

_The quiet train ride to Tokyo._

_The money._

He harden his grip on the cold tiles in the shower.

_The kiss and the punch that followed._

_Sasuke's depression._

_The blank look on Sasuke's face as he woke up after 6 months._

_Those eyes—Sasuke's eyes reflecting its last brilliance as he lie broken and took his last breath in Naruto's arms._

Itachi gasped out loud.

It's been a long time since Itachi thought about what happened in the other life after they left as he must focus and concentrate on the immediate world.

He remembered he was up on a tree branch and hiding in plain sight using a simple genjutsu. He remembered the sound of his own heart breaking as he watched from afar and felt Sasuke's chakra signature completely disappeared. He hoped his jutsu worked. Itachi prayed and he prayed that this forbidden jutsu will take effect and work. He must buy some time, "Tsukiyomi!" His sharingan glowed as it covered the sky and changed the terrain as an illusion. He felt hot in his left hand in realization that the jutsu that he had casted previously finally has taken effect.

"I will not let my little brother die…" Itachi's voice echoed in the valley as a swirl of light took them away.

* * *

_To be continued…_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter will be Itachi's flashback in which we will be shown the first piece of the missing puzzle. Stay tuned!


	8. The Jack of All Trades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cornered and running out of options, and with Sasuke still comatose, Itachi could only work bum jobs. Will this world be generous enough to show him kindness and humanity?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Anyways... This is one of those calm-before-the-storm chapters so don't sit too comfortably :) This is Itachi's flashback when they first arrived in this world, the details will proved to be important later on...

 

 

**Chapter 8**

**The Jack of All Trades**

* * *

 

_Perhaps in another lifetime… another world,_

_my precious little brother,_

_my Sasuke, would be saved._

_Maybe, he could even be…happy._

Itachi thought as he casted the forbidden dimensional transportation jutsu in combination with the prowess of his mangakyu sharingan. It was his last and only device, even though he couldn't completely grasped the coded message in the ancient scroll, for he did not in his possession have the rinnegan to understand the Rikudo Sennin's legacy. He concentrated hard with the hand seal straining against his hand muscles. His blood was boiling as he felt himself dropped on one knee and had to hold on to the tree trunk for support. He could barely hold his form and conceal himself as he perched high up in the trees. He was losing chakra, and  _quick_ …

Naruto was holding his little brother in his lap, their lips connected. Even though he had experimented with the latter display of affections with his best friend, Shisui, he winced at seeing the passionate display between males, especially his little brother and the nine-tail fox demon. However, it didn't change the fact that Sasuke was his life and he would love his little brother unconditionally even if Sasuke wanted him dead or worse. The important thing at hand was that Sasuke, his precious brother, was dying, if he wanted to kiss another guy, then so be it.

Itachi felt Sasuke's chakra signature faded as Naruto cried out his name over and over again grabbing and clutching to the younger Uchiha on the ground.

Luckily, Itachi also felt the forbidden jutsu taking effect as blood gathered from the back of his eyes and then pressed to the front to form bloody streaks down his face. His headache was massive. He closed his eyes and saw the light ready to take him away. He needed to act quickly before he disappeared to the other world without Sasuke.

"I will not let my little brother die!"

With the last of his visual prowess, his left his sharingan reflect in the sky turning it crimson red; a wind also picked up from the jutsu taking effect, wracking hell on earth as it carried both Sasuke and Naruto and himself into a swirling of white and yellow light.

Naruto held onto Sasuke's lifeless body as he tumbled backwards into the tunnel of light and saw Itachi staring back at him. He lacked the strength to fight Itachi as he was in a state of shock from everything happening so suddenly. Naruto had nobody to protect now. He thought about protecting himself, but couldn't see the point as Sasuke was his life. He clutched tighter at Sasuke's body vowing never to let him go. Naruto buried his nose at the croak of Sasuke's neck. He breathed in his scent. He kissed his shoulder. He let tears flow. "Sasuke… I love you…" The sparkling drops trailed away from his face like beads on a broken pearl necklace as he fell back with Sasuke in his arms.

Itachi reached out a hand to Naruto with urgency, but Naruto did not noticed, and if he noticed he did not care. Naruto only wanted to hold onto Sasuke even tighter, not willing to let him go even in death. Such sad eyes looked at Itachi as Itachi looked back with tears of his own. Itachi reached out with hands still shaking. Naruto flowed away from Itachi as Itachi reached out with all of his madness for Sasuke one last time, bloody tears streaked across his face.  _Godammit._  He screamed Sasuke's name. Sasuke must come with him or else all will be for nothing.

Naruto and Sasuke continued to fall back further from Itachi as Itachi reached out and clawed in front of him for absolutely nothing at all. A final thought came to mind as Itachi was drifting away towards the light. He took out the forbidden scroll from his sleeve and unrolled it completely. He bit his thumb to draw blood, using it to write a circular seal on the scroll.

_I wish… I wish for the absolute perfect life for Sasuke. I only ever wanted my little brother to be… happy. Truly happy… even if I must sell my soul to the devil…_

"Kai!" He pressed his bloody palm onto the parchment and turned, creating a red circle on the scroll.

Giant bloody hands sprung forth from all sides of the tunnel of light to grab at them; their movements were ones not of this earth. The tunnel turned dark as if the light has been sucked out by the entrance of these monstrous things, these...beings, whatever they are. Their movements are lucid, swaying back and forth and reaching, not in a hurry as it they have all eternity, in which they probably do. Though they were covered in blood, it was not the type of gore one had had in mind, they were simply covered in blood because it was their nature, and these...  _beings_  does not seem to bear malice as its movements were not out to harm them.

Itachi watched helplessly as Naruto fainted due to the intensity of the jutsu. They floated apart. His little brother loosened in Naruto's grip as he drifted down with the wall of light hoovering above him. Bloody hands reached for Naruto first as they pulled him into an opening without Sasuke. The opening swallowed him up and he was gone. Then a giant bloody hand reached and took a hold on Sasuke's body. It held Sasuke carefully as it pulled him into another opening; smaller bloody hands reached out from the opening to grab at Sasuke's legs. Within seconds, the younger Uchiha completely disappeared within those set of hands.

The largest bloody hand was in a fist. Wavering, it made its way from the sea of hands to Itachi, the one who casted the jutsu. It opened its palm to reveal a green eye with a mouth below it, twitching as it struggled to open its fingers up. The creature had no lips, only its sharp animalistic teeth and stagnant breath greeted Itachi as it appeared in front of him. Its eye movement was jagged as it regarded Itachi between its palm. It spoke. "Is that what you truly wish for?"

Looking at that thing with a harshness that Itachi had never done before, he demanded, "Yes, I wish nothing but for Sasuke to be alive and happy… truly happy… "He narrowed his eyes at the creature. "Make it happen."

"You think I, the Great Right Hand of Universal Equilibrium, would simply listen to a mortal's plead because he has called forth to me from my ancient slumber within the forbidden scroll?"

"I don't expect that, but for whatever price, I'm willing…"

The eye twitched up and down looking at Itachi's rigid form. Its giant mouth curved up in a comical smile. "Then I demand the payment to be your wretched soul. The sins that you hath and  _will_  commit look mighty tasteful." It licked its teeth.

"Done." He spat without a second thought, even though he didn't like the option. "Only if you can guarantee Sasuke's happiness, give him the perfect life… I'm willing to do anything…"

"Never doubt my abilities as you have called me forth for your bidding."

"Then take me now!"

"Not so fast, mortal Uchiha, I will collect your sins in due time." It laughed. Fingers twitching in vibrations with the robust of its laughter. "But for now, go on… to this world and live…"

The fingers stopped moving around as the hand gripped Itachi and enclosed him in the middle of its palm. It pulled him into an opening dark enough to swallow light… and dropped him.

And he fell.

From the sky.

In the air.

There was an atmosphere.

He held onto himself across the chest.

As he fell.

And he felt something materializing between his arms.

And discovered that it was his little brother.

His body was warm and Itachi could feel his heart beating.

Itachi cried tears of joy as he braced the unmoving form while screaming thanks to whomever that hand was.

He continued to fall down by the harsh pull of gravity, stars hanging in the background as he fell relentlessly; dropping at a dangerous velocity and altitude.

Wanting to save them both from a certain falling death, Itachi formed a few hand seals for a summon to break their fall, only to find that it was completely useless. Nothing happened.

He can feel that this world has gravity that was greater than the previous as he was dropping at a much faster rate than expected. He also knew that the landing would not be a smooth one. He hung on to Sasuke as he aimed for the canopy of soft trees coming up below him.

He braced for the impact as he fell into the soft greenery with a roll down to the ground below. It helped to break the fall, but he felt powerless as he continued to roll on the grass below him, hitting a rock and felt his shoulder dislocated from its joint.

Itachi held Sasuke in his arms, protecting him from the fall to the best of his ability. He tried his best to maneuver with his years of training to land, but not having ninjutsu prevented him from a safe landing.

Another crack was heard as he felt his left thigh impacted on a large rock as he finally rolled to a stop with Sasuke still between his arms. Harsh wind blew across his face as he felt an unfamiliar prickle against the nerve of his skin. A slither of blood dripped down from his head and landed on Sasuke's cheek. One drop. Two drop. Three… This was unfamiliar indeed. The powerful Itachi getting hurt was not possible, at least, until now.

He tried to use his Amateratsu to make a nearby rock catch on black fire to test his sharingan, but that earned him nothing but an eye-strain and a terrible headache. He admitted that the laws of this universe were completely different and nothing that he had learned to survive in the shinobi world would be useful here.

His whole body was in pain as if every cell had been ripped from his straining frame. His shoulder was dislocated and his left leg was broken. Itachi did a quick check to make sure Sasuke was all right.

Sasuke had no viable traumas beyond his nakedness; it was like he was given a brand new body.

It was night time, and with a quick look around, Itachi realized that they were in the middle of a residential neighborhood where a bridge and a small river divided the two sides of the rows of houses and apartments.

He shook Sasuke's shoulder to wake him, but to no acumen, as he was still short from being responsive. Not wanting to have potential passersby to see his brother unclothed form, he hid him under the bridge by a low shrubbery.

Wasting no time at all, he limped onto the street to look for help. He figured that the evening was young even though it was dark in the sky, since some small residential shops were still opened.

"Mommy, look!" A little girl holding her mother's hand pointed at Itachi with a fascination in her eyes, "cosplayer!" The smiling pair of mother and daughter came over to his side, the little girl ran up to give Itachi a hug. He blushed discreetly, not saying a word, not sure of the proper way to behave in this world as of yet. He lightly hugged back, uncertain, feeling embarrassed to be hugging a random little girl at this ironic time-and with a broken arm.

The mother pulled out a device, that Itachi later recalled was this world's version of a camera, and took a picture of her daughter with the nice  _cosplaying_ teenager. "I love your costume and the blood look so real!" The mother and daughter waved at him as he waved back a good bye with his good hand.

Itachi figured as much that his clothes were probably inconsistent with this world's fashion and made a mental note to find something once he'd got a chance.

Looking for food was proved not to be an easy task as no one minding the shops would give him a trace of fresh bite to eat without thinking that he was bloodied from some kind of street gang related fight. Itachi finally settled for the trash can as he watched the restaurant helpers throw out their leftovers for the day. He scurried to the trash can and picked at whatever clean he could find to bring back for him and Sasuke. He needed to hurry up as Sasuke was naked and unconscious hiding behind a bush in a strange new world.

When he arrived, Sasuke was still in one piece and nobody seemed to have discovered him yet. Sasuke did not make a sound, but Itachi was glad to catch the rising and falling of his little brother's chest as he breathed. Itachi dressed Sasuke with the shirt off his back and pulled it down as much as possible to cover his lower body. It was the beginning of summer and it didn't seem like it was going to be too cold too soon. That night, he held onto his little brother as they slept under the bridge.

 

()-()-()-()

A day has passed since they first landed in this strange land. Hoping Sasuke would wake up soon, they stayed under the bridge while he tried to calm down and think of a plan to survive and to fix his leg and shoulder. Sasuke was still in a deep sleep and have not eaten yet, even though Itachi tried to put food in his mouth to make him chew and eat. Sasuke lay there on the grass refusing to come into consciousness. Itachi felt weak without his powers in an unfamiliar place. He felt dizzy from the pain from his leg and the lack of nutrients in his body. He drank from the river and tried to get Sasuke to drink, but he was still completely silent and non-moving.

Itachi kept telling himself not to encounter too many people and ask too many questions that might raise suspicion as to their identity.

_But Sasuke…_

Sasuke hasn't had anything to eat or drink for a day already and Itachi was powerless to save him by himself. He almost wished he was a medical ninja. _Almost._

Taking his chances and a leap in faith in humanity, he yelled for help when a moving vehicle passed them by. It was a middle-age man that was glad he could be of help and took the brothers to a nearby hospital.

The medical staff asked him many questions about where he came from and where he went to school. They asked about his parents and his medical records. They asked how he is going to pay for their medical care, in which they reassured him that he could pay off at a later time. They asked him many questions that he wished he could answer, but can only breathed out the words, "I don't know…," after each questions asked as he lowered his gaze to the hospital floor.

He had no currency of this world and no place to live. He lied to the people at the hospital that they were orphans with no parents and that their house burned down due to an accident, so that they have no money and the forms of ID that they asked for. A kind nurse came over to hug Itachi to reassure him that everything will be ok. The nurse cried, saying something about brave young men that were trying to survive on their own who were truly inspiring, and cried some more onto another nurse's shoulder. It was all a ridiculous scene in Itachi's mind as he knew it was all a lie. It was kind of true that they were orphans though...

They told Itachi that he could stay at the hospital with his little brother for a few days, but after that he will have to find another living arrangement, and of course, he would still own the hospital dues for patching him up and for overseeing Sasuke.

Itachi gladly comply with their rules. So far, things are going in a more positive direction. He hoped for the best, for Sasuke's sake. He combed his fingers through his little brother's soft locks. He was glad that Sasuke was alive.

 

()-()-()-()

After four days, Itachi left the hospital on his own, seeing that there were no places for him to stay. After all, it was only a broken leg and his life was not in danger. The nurse gave him her word that she would look after Sasuke and would call him if he wakes up. He didn't know what a  _'call'_  was nor did he own this device called a  _'cellphone'_. Itachi said he would come to visit once a day.

"But what will you do?" The kind nurse put a hand over his shoulder and patted it, a look of true concern on her face.

He balanced on the crutches they gave him as he lean on his good leg without the cast. The nurse told him not to get it wet. She waved him a goodbye and bowed as he left through the front door of the hospital. Almost as if this world was made of irony, rain began to fall the moment he stepped outside. _So much for not getting it wet._

He will stay under the bridge in the mean time and think of a plan. He sneezed at the cold as he bit into a half rotten apple he found to fill his hunger. He will stay strong.

It marveled Itachi time and again how Madara managed to pull off living in both worlds so seamlessly, a mystery that Itachi still haven't solved as of yet. His forbidden dimensional transportation jutsu was incomplete compare to Madara's specialty, but he was forced to use it for Sasuke's sake. He contemplated seeking out Madara in this world, but told himself _again_  not to stoop to that level that he must ask that crazy bastard for help. He will survive on his own for now, looking for leftovers and living under the bridge and devoting all his free time to learning about this world.

He soon discovered that all his training as a shinobi were of no use here as everybody in this world seemed to have normal— _peasant_  jobs, instead of being ranked shinobis.

 _For now…_  he thought to himself, he would be a wandering samurai looking to help people for a small pay. The idea was so romantic and heroic it almost sounded strange to the ex-Akatsuki member in his own head.

He went door to door knocking and asking if people needed his help for a small pay. Some would kindly decline, while others spat at him and told him to go away. He found that standing by the grocery store and asking costumers if he could help them carry their groceries to their car had the best results thus far. He had earned 830 yen so far. It was not going as well as he had hoped.

For the next couple of days he did the same thing. He saved all the money earned while looking for leftovers in the dumpster since it was free. He used all his free time at the library, as he had discovered, was a public place where he could read up on this world, and so he did, and sometimes on non-busy nights, he would stay and read until the late hours or until they finally had to come over and ask him to leave. He did this routine interspersely while visiting Sasuke during his visiting hours, every day, without failed.

 

()-()-()-()

Something had caught his eyes as he wandered down the residential streets. It was a small dwelling of a fenced house with a familiar family last name imprinted on a wooden block that hung vertically next to the door frame; "Uchiha", it said.

His heart was beating out of his throat as he thought of the possibilities of them being the same Uchihas or if they merely had the same strange last name as well. Curious, he followed his previous routine and knocked on the door. A shuffling was heard from the inside as someone yelled, "wait a moment please!"

An old woman in her 80's came to open the door and greeted him merrily. Her dark eyes, though aged and wrinkled, looked upon him with warmth and kindness and he felt a sudden relief, like all the tension he dammed up since he'd arrived was spirited away by the mere sight of her wrinkled lips in a smile. "Young man, is there anything this old woman and her husband can help you with?" She took his hand into her own, turning it over to look at it carefully. "Oh, such nice skin too, but you looked like you haven't bathed for days, oh dear!"

"Ma'am", he took his hand back as he stood up straight to face the kind old lady, "would you be interested in any help around the house or anything at all? I currently don't have a mean to survive but to make some small change in helping people out."

"Oh, let me see…" She turned around to call to the back, a man answered down the hall with a loud grunt. "He said if we needed help, honey!"

From his appearance, her husband looked even more aged than she was as he made it over to them by leaning on a cane. He even had trouble hearing as he kept asking her  _"what?"_  and  _"what's that?"_  over and over again as she explained to him about Itachi's proposition.

With a nod, the old man turned to Itachi with his hand held in front of him gesturing for him to take it. Itachi took it and the man shook it. "Follow me, sonny boy. I think I got something you can help me with."

"Oh dear, I will go make both you boys some hot tea and warm biscuits! We have a guest today!" She scurried to the kitchen with almost a skip in her step.

Itachi followed the old man.

The old man wanted him to help repair his bike, but instead of helping to fix it, he made it worse than it was before. The old man laughed and laughed and slapped his thighs and laughed some more when the other wheel came off as well. The old man and Itachi both stood watching as the entire frame of the bike fell apart in pieces right in front of them.

Itachi fell on his knees and sighed in defeat; the old man laughed and patted his back, caring less about the irreparable bicycle. In the end, Itachi joined in his laughter too.

The kind woman went beyond in her hospitality and drew him a bath without his asking. He graciously took her up on her offer as he nearly jumped into the warm water, making a splash. He heaved a deep sign as he sank into the tub of warm water. Haven't been washed in quite a while, he could literally see the dirt and grime coming off as the soapy water soaked into his skin. He undid his ponytail and washed his dark locks, letting them float freely in the comforting water.

After he had gotten out of the bath, the woman prepared fresh clothes for him. She said it was her son's old clothes that he could have. Itachi admire them. The couple gave, but did not pity, it was out of love and kindness that humans should have for one another. Itachi held the warm clothes in his hand and rubbed his face into it. So far, this world has treated him kinder than he had expected. They didn't even know his name, and he did not feel the need to introduce himself.

The woman motioned for him to sit down on a chair and he did so. She ran a comb through his wet hair and he let her. It was pleasant to relax and have someone to take care of you instead of always hanging onto life's edge for survival. This might not last, but he will enjoy it while it's lasting. She combed out all the knots in his hair and blew it dry for him. This was a new thing to Itachi as his hair had never been blown dry before. She combed it again and tied it back into a ponytail. He looked in the mirror. He was a lot cleaner and even his deep eye bags were almost non-existent. The woman smiled at him through the reflection and he smiled back. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he put his hand over hers. He felt human, a part of him that he haven't felt in years ever since the Uchiha clan massacre. It almost felt like it'd never happened. It was in another world, and all his past sins were forgiven. He clutched the old lady's hand as she clutched his shoulder back in encouragement.  _If she only knew what he had done…_  He looked back into the mirror, he did not see the familiar monster that he was so accustomed to days after nights, but himself, Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke's older brother, Mikoto's and Fugaku's eldest son, the clan's prodigy.

Itachi was desperately grateful when the old man's wife handed him a bento lunchbox, an umbrella, and shoved some money into his pocket. He refused the man's wife, but she insisted that he take it. He pushed her hand with the money away as she pushed back with a force greater than his own demanding he spend it on his little brother that was in the hospital. He finally accepted them with tears in his eyes and knelt in front of the kindly old couple, vowing to be in their debt. He bowed again, hitting his head on the pavement and bowed again. The couple stopped him from bowing as he launched into the granny's arms and cried into her shoulder and hugged her. She hugged him back lovingly like a real grandmother would.

From then on, he decided he will do everything to pay these two kind people back, even if he must seek out the one he'd been avoiding all this time. Itachi turned on his heels and ran down the street. He knew just the place.

 

()-()-()-()

In this world, he was like a child. He knew nothing and has nothing. He must learn everything all over again- and he learned to be afraid again. Perhaps for the third time in his life now, he was truly scared. First time being when Hanzo had ordered him to kill his entire family, second time being Sasuke's close-death experience, and the third time was now.

Standing in front of him, in all his wicked glory, staring down at Itachi as he dropped to his knees from the sight of the most powerful Uchiha of all times, the man spoke, "So, you have finally come to seek for me." He gestured for Itachi to come forth, but Itachi just knelt there with his hands on his sides, refusing to even look him in the eyes. "And I have been waiting for you, Uchiha Itachi."

Itachi's hands would not stop shaking as he grabbed the floor at his side to hold himself steady. It was Itachi who decided to seek him out. He needed Madara. He'd came this far. Finding his strength, he lifted his head carefully, not wanting to anger the man in the black trench coat in front of him with any sudden movements, he breathed out each word carefully, "Uchiha. Madara."

The man grinned from behind his closed lips.

"And how may I be of service to you, my  _dearest_ Itachi-chan...?"

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._ **

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is my favorite chapter so far, so please tell me what you think as well. I really need some input as I feel like I have many hits on the fic, but hardly any comments at all. Is it really that bad? *o*;; I know my weak points as a writer better than anyone and I'm trying hard to correct them as this is my first fic, but still feel free to let me know if there are any major flaws I need to correct :)


	9. A Perpetual Fortification

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Always with his new friend, a small spark of fire was beginning to ignite between Naruto and Sasuke--even if they both denied it. 
> 
> With Sasuke always gone, Itachi seeks comfort in another manner...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I scrapped and rewrote this chapter and the next 3 times T^T hahhahaa... Thank you so much for reading, even the lurkers. I finally noticed all these visitor counts that went straight to the new chapter and skipped through all the old ones. hehe. Thank you so SO much as I never thought in my wildest dreams that people will be reading and following my junk. *bows*.

 

As Sasuke was swept off to dreamland with Naruto in his arms, he felt the familiar prickling sensation of a certain night creature that would only come out at night from the depths of his darkest of nightmares.

_Scarlet fingers danced on his skin, all hundreds of them, marring it with the streaks of blood given off by the digits. These hands stretched endlessly without being attached to a living body. The hands grabbed at him with vigor, slowly pushing apart his skin and through his muscles until the nails of those creatures scratched at his bones. And they stayed there, plugged in, becoming a part of him; he felt the tips of those fingers giving off a certain life energy into his body. It was a white-hot pain, but it made him feel alive._

* * *

 

**Chapter 9**

 

**A Perpetual Fortification**

 

* * *

Sasuke awoke with a startled as he landed on a pile of clothes. His head hit the ground as his arms and feet were thrown wildly into the air.

Naruto looked angry as he stepped closer to Sasuke, treading with each heavy foot step and fists at his side; his skin was heated to a red blush on his face. "Sasuke… You… You  _bastard_!" Naruto's eyes traveled from Sasuke's face to his groin as he felt the same sensation of the blush traveled to his face, mirroring the color of Naruto's countenance.

In front of Sasuke's boxer briefs was a bulge, tenting his thin underwear.

Sasuke panicked in his mind but did not show weariness as to keep his cool, "So…?" He didn't know why he was hard at the time and why Naruto had thrown him across the room, either way, he doesn't want to know. "Is there something wrong with my erection?"

"Yes, oh  _god_ , yes, everything is wrong with  _it_!" Naruto tried to throw a punch at his face, but Sasuke caught it with his hand. "Why were you pressing up on me in my sleep, huh?" He tried to throw another punch with his other hand and Sasuke caught it again, different hand this time. They faced each other straight on. "Do I look weak? Is that why? Maybe I should have never told you about... about…  _Menma_ …" He said the last word softly, afraid that he might disturb the dead. "It was not an invitation for you to... for you to—"

Sasuke threw both of Naruto's fists back at him. Naruto took a few steps back and fell sitting on his bed. "Naruto, you are acting insane!" However, Sasuke's inner thoughts were scolding himself of the same thing. His inner thoughts always scolded him of the same thing. "I was sleeping. I did not do jack shit to you! Is it against the law to be hard or something?"

"Were you trying to rape me?"Sasuke's eyes were wide with shock and puzzlement. "Well, I'm not your bitch! Just because I told you about myself, 't doesn't give you an invitation to take advantage of me in my sleep!"

"Rape you? I think there's been a mistake, Naruto. I woke up to you throwing me half way across the room! And I don't think I was ever told by my brother that I have a sleep-raping condition. Stop freaking out! God  _damn_ …" Sasuke turned and headed for the bathroom. He was done talking to Naruto about his boner— _and_  Naruto's boner. That tent that was also in Naruto's boxers did not escape Sasuke's observant eyes. He probably had a morning wood or something. Naruto was overreacting.

Naruto cursed inwardly at his own body's reaction. He was being immature and blaming Sasuke for it and he  _knew_  it. It was his own problem, his own imaginations and insecurities accusing him of what happened when he first opened his eyes in the morning.

_It was 6:22am, the two boys were asleep in each other's arms…_

Naruto woke with a soft hardness that he'd never felt before pressed up on his abdomen. He opened his eyes gently, greeted by the cascading sunlight from his window that fell on that dark-haired someone's particular face. That someone was holding him in his arms, he was warm, and that person's particular soft hardness was pressed up on his stomach almost too hotly for coherent words to form in his mind. It twitched once against his stomach and Naruto breathed in sharply through his teeth.

It's not every day you wake up with your same sex  _platonic_  friend's morning wood pressing up against you so intimately.

He would move and get dress, but he was currently trapped between a certain dark-hair boy's head on his arms and his one thigh swung over his body sideways, squeezing them in a very intimate body lock. Naruto felt the twitch on his stomach again and he gasped. He blushed and he realized if someone were to walk in right now, there will be no amount of explanations given to un-gay the given scenario.

But he didn't want to push Sasuke away…

There was something safe about being in Sasuke's arms. It was like two missing pieces of puzzle that have finally found the other—and they fit together so well.

Sasuke exhaled his breath; its warm air tickled all the most sensitive nerves behind Naruto's ear.

Naruto felt a nervousness swelling in his chest cavities as it slowly turned hot. He rolled his eyes up to look at Sasuke sleeping face. His lips were so perfect, he thought. They looked soft, yet masculine under the soft filtered sunlight through the curtains.

A wind sneaked its way in through the cracks of the window, leaving the curtains to flutter slightly in the breeze. The breeze brushed Sasuke's hair aside as they caressed Naruto's arm. He felt his heart skipped a beat. His body was so sensitive today.

His body has been particularly sensitive ever since he met the Uchiha boy.

Naruto felt Sasuke's hardness twitched again as he shifted in his sleep to crush onto Naruto from the top, leaving no spaces between their bodies for any self-composed thoughts to pass through. Sasuke's hardness pressed onto Naruto's own through their boxers as Naruto gasped out loud.

His mind was being pulled to all these different directions and scenarios. He felt frozen, in time—frozen by the blistering lava melting away at his tough exterior as he felt his body responding to Sasuke's accidental intrusion by bucking his hips forward involuntarily. He was hard, but he didn't want to make a sound, fear that he would wake the sleeping form right on top on him; Sasuke was so peaceful, so innocent, and yet, Naruto was laying under him bathing in lewd of these thoughts.

He felt Sasuke shifted again, brushing his erection across his already straining underwear. Naruto bit his bottom lip from crying out from ecstasy due to the friction. He grew unbearably hard as he tried to push Sasuke away with his hips, but only resulting in their hot members smashing closer and hotter together than they ever did. He gasped. A sweat rolled down from Naruto's brow, then to his chin.

Sasuke opened his eyes, looking straight into Naruto's own

Naruto screamed and threw him across the room.

 _And that was what happened_ , and Naruto could not bring himself to admitting that he loved every part of it.

()-()-()-()

The alarm went off but he let it rang. He had more important things to ponder. He furrowed his brows as he sat, watching his slowly fading erection in his own boxers.

He had enjoyed Sasuke's accidentally touches and was thoroughly confused. Naruto thought he was into girls, but now he has all these questions left unsolved and unanswered, and he wanted Sasuke to take the blame for it because he couldn't face it, and he was— _scared_ of this new discovery. Everything was fine with these kinds of bodily reactions before today, but having feelings for the same sex would just complicate his life even more, especially when the latter was rubbing his "bodily reactions" all over his denying own.

He'd vowed to himself, in recollection, that a certain incident that involved one of Menma's "bright ideas" in the all-male sauna will never ever happen again in any similar forms or others.

–Or at least he'd hoped for in the best scenario, which was the ultimate un-complication of his life, which probably does not start with a penis pressing against his own in the morning. He was fine with having sex with girls; there was no need to bring his guy buddies onto his bed for sexual adventures and explorations.

Headache. All he could feel was headache.

Naruto heard footsteps approaching his room. His alarm was still ringing. Sasuke grabbed it with one hand and threw it hard against the wall. It broke. Naruto looked the other way.

"We are going to be late for school." Sasuke looked at him apologetically; he hadn't meant to thrown the alarm so hard. "I'm sorry 'bout the alarm. I could get you another one…"

Naruto didn't look at him. He felt guilty about his earlier actions towards Sasuke. Sasuke should just break all the objects in his room to get even, because that would certainly make him feel better. He didn't want guilt in his heart. He didn't need  _more_  guilt.

He threw Sasuke his school uniform, "wear this one."

Sasuke caught it in front of his face. "But this is the winter uniform."

"Wear it."

"Won't you be cold?" He offered the uniform back to Naruto. Naruto shook his head.

Naruto took a step forward and picked up the red scarf that was on the floor. He swung it over Sasuke's neck and wrapped it around. "But… I don't want you to be cold."

Sasuke felt a hot shiver down his spine.

()-()-()-()

Sasuke dialed Itachi on the way to school, having been ignoring his brother's calls, but Itachi failed to pick up. He dialed again and with no luck. He dialed a third time, a little bit worried. It connected, but was hung up. And when he dialed again for the fourth time, the phone was turned off, a recorded message told him to dial again later. Maybe his brother was mad at him. That was the last thing he wanted. He probably couldn't live if Itachi never wanted to speak to him again. He made a mental note to call his brother again at a later time, and if he still hasn't picked up by then he would go home to check on his big brother.

The two teens ran towards their school more rapidly in their step as they hear the school bell rang from far away. They were short of their breaths, but feet continued to pad along the ground. They realized that they will never make it as the school was still around 10 minutes away up the incline behind a small hill.

They finally gave up in trying to make it on time and stopped at a convenience store to pick up some food. The clerk handed Naruto the bag.

They walked to school in an awkward silence, since there was no point in running when they were already late.

()-()-()-()

Itachi turned off his phone.

He needed his escape from this treacherous world and all that had happened in it, this world or the last, or which ever in between. It didn't matter. It didn't even matter that it was Sasuke, his beloved baby brother that was calling him, one who was finally reaching out to him after not coming home for two nights. It worried Itachi. He lost sleep. He knew that Sasuke loves him and he would eventually reach out to him if he set him free, but he was hurting. He felt like he was the only one hurting. Everything…. Everything he did was for Sasuke, but Sasuke was not right in his grasp to protect. He needed Sasuke to be weak and call out to his big brother, but he knew that was crazy because Sasuke had grown a mind of his own, no longer oblivious to the world. He'd lost this battle. He needed to win, but he lost. He needed to forget, but he remembered. He needed to escape, but he was trapped.

Itachi needed to run away from this world and the only key to the lock on his mental prison was by spreading and lowering himself onto a thick cock and letting it fuck him into an oblivion as he rode it to madness with his sweat-drenched back arched.

The one below him came impossibly hard, pumping his insides full with hot cum until the amount spilled in loads from his entrance, washing him of his sins from the inside out.

The one he was straddling reached a hand up to cup his cheek while brushing away a few stray pieces of sweat-drenched hair from his brow. His thumb caressed Itachi's cheek, then below his eye and over the ridge of his nose. Itachi kissed the hand that touched him while lacing his own fingers on the backside of the hand. The man below ran his fingers in Itachi's hair until they were tangled in the loose strands, but felt that the once lush and long hair that Itachi had kept had been cut short. "Why did you cut your hair? Does it have something to do with Madara again?" Itachi shook his head as the other cupped Itachi's face with both hands.

"Itachi, you are crying…" His thumbs ran over Itachi's eyes softly, ridding his long eyelashes with tears. "I'm blind, but it doesn't mean I couldn't see your pain…"

More tears fell from Itachi's eyes as the hands tried to wipe them away.

"Did I hurt you again? I'm so sorry for being so…big." His voice was soft and sweet, such punishable rewards to Itachi's merit. "You shouldn't have sat on me so hard…" His hands dropped to Itachi's bare thighs to rub soothing circling into the dips and curves of his muscular flesh.

"Punish me…" Itachi rolled them both around until his back was on the bed. His voice was but a harsh low, dangerous whisper, "don't stop…" He spread his legs wider for that body above him to wedge himself in even deeper. "Shisui…don't stop…", his voice was coarse with ferocity, "Make me bleed."

Perhaps then, could his sins be forgiven...

* * *

**_To be Continued..._ **

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I'm really happy about the Shisui and Itachi sex. *dancing-BANZAI-celebration!* I was gonna use it later on, but this was a good place for it :) I surprised myself!


	10. Undercurrents

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In denial of their feelings for each other, how long will they last until one of them breaks? They thought they were so certain about life, but--could it be that there might actually be another?

  **Chapter 10**

**Undercurrents**

 

* * *

Naruto's fingers were frozen as he clutched the handle of the bag of snacks from their earlier trip to the convenience store. He was shivering from the cold as he was inappropriately dressed to the weather, but did not voiced his complaint.  _I'm a man, and a little cold will not faze me!_ He thought as he held the bag tighter between his grasp.

That little display didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke as he reached out to grab the bag from Naruto's hand. "I'll hold it."

"No, really, it's fine." Naruto snatched it back. His fingers grazed Sasuke's own.

"Naruto, your hands are freezing." Sasuke tried to take it back but Naruto pulled back. He tucked on the handle and the bag was in his hand again. The warmth of Sasuke's touch did not escape his senses as he pretended not to feel its sweet intrusion. He took a deep breath to slow the speed of his heart beating out of control.  _No use to complicate things._  He had to keep reminding himself.

"I'll hold the bags. You just keep walking alright?" Naruto walked in front of Sasuke, braving against the biting cold with a stern face. "Let's just get to school."

Naruto sped up; Sasuke tried following closely behind. Naruto's brisk walk turned into a march as he sped away uphill to where their school was without so much as looking back at the guy that was trying to keep up behind him. It was better to be as far away from Sasuke as possible... so that accidental touches that clouded his senses wouldn't happen again.

With each step taken, Sasuke could feel himself falling back into the endless spiral that was his depression; alive, trying to grab at him with each chance that it has. Naruto's back grew smaller as the distance between them extended. Just the thought of being separated from Naruto made him sick to his stomach and he didn't know why. All he knew was that there are two people that were the utmost importance in his life, one being Naruto and the other being Itachi, and that was it. Without them he was nothing but a shell with emotions too great to handle by himself. He felt his throat closed up as he tried to swallow his saliva; his breathing was hitched against the air in front of him.

Naruto took two steps for each step that Sasuke pushed forth; sweat broke out on his brow.

Sasuke tried to speed up, but his body was lacking in strength, seemingly, as if the source of his power was leaving him behind to rot.

He breathed in through his nose as he tried to catch up to the blonde. The image of Naruto was fading in front of him as it shook and blurred. He needed Naruto to acknowledged him. With what strength he had left, he reached out.

A hand landed on Naruto's shoulder, he looked back. It was Sasuke.

"Wait the f-uck up, s-speedy." Sasuke was panting to catch his breath. His face looked pale as cold sweat broke out on his forehead. His voice was hoarse and his lips were dried.

"Oi… Sasuke, are you ok?" Naruto turned around to face him now, holding Sasuke's shoulders up with both his hands. "Oi…" He shook his shoulders.

Sasuke collapsed in his arms; his cheeks were flushed. He was heavy against Naruto as they both fell to the ground with only Naruto supporting their weight by kneeling on one knee. "I… don't think so."

"What's wrong?!"

"I feel a little dizzy…"

Naruto places his hand on his forehead. He felt fine—except for that loud growling that erupted from Sasuke's stomach.

"I think you're just hungry…" Naruto sighed in relieve, he was so afraid something serious might have happened to Sasuke.

()-()-()-()

After convincing Sasuke to sneak into school anyways, they did just that, and even managed to steal some hot water from the school's cafeteria for Naruto's cup ramen. They stopped to hide at the corner when a custodial staff or a teacher walked by. They must get through undetected, fear that they might be dragged to Principal Sarutobi's office again. After bending through twists and turns, they decided to run the stairs to the rooftop. Nobody will ever think to find them there.

The air on the rooftop was dense with coldness that you can almost touch with the pads of your fingertips. The sun shone behind the clouds that parted intermittently to cascade down onto the ground of the rooftop, illuminating in spots and scattered blotches, highlighting the dents and cracks from its weathering state.

Sasuke breathed out as he sat down with his knees up and his arm leaning against the wall, his cloudy breath obscured the space between his and Naruto's faces before a wind carried it away quietly. He let his gaze traveled down from Naruto's face to the ramen bowl that he was clutching so tightly between his shaking fingers. He stopped eating to watch Naruto who ate his ramen quietly while braving against the cold. Sasuke felt his hand moved instinctively on its own as it traveled from the back of Naruto's neck to his far shoulder.

Naruto stopped to look at Sasuke with his eyes wide opened. He pulled back slightly at the sudden touch, but Sasuke curled his fingers to pull him towards his chest. Naruto almost dropped his ramen cup. He'd not planned on that happening again today-and so soon.

"You're freezing to death." Taking off his jacket, Sasuke wrapped Naruto into his arms for warmth while covering them both with the jacket resting on their shoulders. Naruto was still shivering as Sasuke took a hold of the side of his arm to pull him closer. "And you are too stubborn to realize it…" Their knees touched; he put a hand on Naruto's knee.

"Sasuke… what are you doing?" Naruto stopped eating as he kept his eyes on Sasuke's hand that shielded him from the cold.

Sasuke rubbed the blonde's knee, "You didn't have to give me your winter uniform…"

"But…" Naruto's heart was beating out of his chest again.  _Damn you, Sasuke..._

"No buts… Next time, just wear your winter uniform… I'll be fine. I'm not made of glass. I'm made of flesh and blood."

Naruto looked over to Sasuke who now rubbed both his hands together to keep warm. Sasuke didn't eat anything hot, but had only grabbed a cold sandwich and juice from the store.

"Here." Naruto blew on the noodles between his chopsticks as another cloud of condensed steam obscured the short distance between them.

Even though he'd just finished eating his sandwich, the lardaceous smell of the hot soup noodles invaded his nostrils in a surprising way that made his stomach growl again. "Well…" The noodles were glistering under a spot of sunlight. It was almost beautiful.  _It wouldn't hurt to try…_ Sasuke opened his mouth as Naruto fed him a bite of the noodle. The noodle was still hot as it burned the side of his mouth. He slurped it slowly.

Sasuke looked hilarious as he was trying to slurp down the hot ramen. Naruto laughed.

"Here, have some more." Naruto fed him another bite and Sasuke gladly took it into his mouth. He could feel Sasuke warming up as the jacket began to heat up the air between them. He happily fed Sasuke some more noodles while blowing on them in between bites. "Do you like it?" Sasuke could only nod as he gulped down the rest of the soup merrily. He didn't even realized that Sasuke had finished his own food and Naruto's own before Naruto's stomach complained in its own version of the growl. He laughed nervously when the sound emitted from his stomach, "Well, don't worry about it, we could get food again later or something…"

"Oh… geesh, I didn't even realized… Oh, why, yeah… I'll get your dinner later." He blushed. "I'm sorry, I was just really hungry..."

"It's alright, I'm sure I won't die from skipping a meal…"

"I'll make it up to you, damn, I'm really sorry…"

"I said it's  _alright_!" He emphasized on the last word, a little annoyed. "Geez…." He turned his head away from Sasuke. "It's not a big deal. I'm not a fuckin' girl."

A gust of wind hurled at them ruffling the loose blond strands in his hair; Naruto sank down lower to hide under the current. He was shivering.

Sasuke got up to take off the jacket from his shoulders. "Hey dude. You want your jacket back?"

"No, I'm not cold. You could wear it." Naruto lied through his teeth—his clanking, shivering teeth. He got up and moved his legs into a squat; he took out a cigarette to try to light it, but the wind kept blowing the fire out. He did not need Sasuke babying him as if he was a little four year old. _Want his jacket back?_  That's what guys say to girls!  _Right?_  He finally got it to light when he felt a jacket being dumped on his shoulders.

"Hold your own jacket, I'm not your coat rack, ya know." Sasuke scoffed.

"Aren't you cold?"

Sasuke stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "I'm not a fuckin' girl… so no."

Naruto flung the jacket back at Sasuke who side-stepped coolly to let it drop to the floor.

"Take the scarf." He threw the scarf at Naruto, a bit miffed, who dodged to also let it drop to the floor.

"Thanks, but no thanks. I don't need your sympathies." Naruto threw his cigarette on the floor and stepped on it. He cracked his neck.

"Shut up, Naruto and take the scarf. You are so cold your lips are turning blue."

"And you are so cold you have icicles in your hair."

Another gust of wind knocked a few pieces of debris in their direction and they disregard it as it tumbled on the floor and off the side of the roof. The sun hid behind a veil of cumulus clouds as the sky turned slightly darker than before even though it was supposed to shine brightly this time of day. The air thickened as the air pressured raised. An unsuspecting snow flick landed on top of Sasuke's hair and slipped off to the ground. More followed the patterned as they hovered in the air above them, and as soon as a dusty flick landed on their skin, it was melted away by the flush in their cheeks as they caught each other staring, well-polished oynx into deep Persian blue.

They paused their gaze at each other and discovered that they were both right. This argument was utterly senseless and unneeded, no matter how small it was. But that's who they are

Naruto picked up the scarf and lazily wrapped it once around his neck. He was still cold, but would die before letting Sasuke know that he was  _freezing_ to _death_.

Naruto's little display of bravado did not escape Sasuke's discern. He might have had traumas from his memory lost, but he wasn't not the least bit stupid. At least, he'd gathered this much from the weeks after he'd came out of his coma that though no previous memories were present, he was not a dumb kid to boot. He noticed in these weeks that even though he was plagued by the hellish depression that crippled his emotions, he has a certain way of understanding the world that made him see beyond the norm habits of the people around him. What was left was a version of Sasuke that had gained a pure understanding of the world with no bias.

He walked up to Naruto, and before Naruto knew what was going on, he was in a warm embrace. Sasuke had picked up his jacket from the floor and wrapped it around Naruto's shoulders.

"What are you..." Naruto blushed as he regarded Sasuke's eyes with pure awe that completely contradicted his words. "I shouldn't…" He was in Sasuke's arms in a frontal hug, their bodies pressed together. Naruto was suddenly reminded of the incident that happened in the morning, but he did not thought to make a scene or to pushed Sasuke off. His heart was beating fast. By gods, he hoped Sasuke wouldn't feel it.

"Shut up." Sasuke held him tighter around in the jacket. "Just shut up…" He whispered.

Naruto unraveled his scarf to wrap around themselves, still in Sasuke's embrace. Naruto pulled on the scarf that was wrapped around the back of Sasuke's neck, bringing those lips closer to his own. He was careful not to make brash movements. He could feel Sasuke sudden sharp in-take of air.

Sasuke felt Naruto's eyes burning onto his lips as they regarded him with hunger.

Naruto lean in closer.

Sasuke held his breath.

The blonde tilted his head as he lean in. He didn't know what he was doing as his own actions were out of the bounds of rationality and completely contradicted the whole battle inside his head from earlier on.

Sasuke, still holding his breath, squeezed his eyes shut.

Naruto darted his tongue out and licked the corner of Sasuke's mouth.

The dark-haired boy let go of his breath and opened his eyes wide in shock.

There was a small piece of green onion at the tip of Naruto's tongue. "I hate wasting food, especially ramen related items..." Naruto took a step forward, his breath was so close it was like fire on Sasuke's lips. Sasuke took a step back as he let go of Naruto in their embrace. He was dumbfounded by Naruto's actions, and can only feel Naruto's predatory desires that was increasing with each word that was being spoken. "I hate wasting food, but—" Naruto took another step forward as Sasuke took yet another back and tripped over a crack on the floor with his heel and toppled over on his bottom. He didn't make a sound of complaint but kept his wide eyes fixated to Naruto's lips as he held his body at an angle with the palm of his hands behind him. Naruto knelt down between his legs and licked his lips. "—I actually just wanted to kiss you…"

Their closed lips connected. Naruto made it happen as he pushed himself forward with his hand leaning on Sasuke's thigh for support. Like two pieces of flint rubbing together, a spark of heat ignited from the soft and innocent touch. Sasuke tilted his head and closed his eyes as he enjoy the warmth that was rapidly coursing through his body, depriving the much needed oxygen flow to his cells one at a time.

Naruto's fingers made their way up to the back of Sasuke's neck to bring him closer, and he complied. Sasuke relaxed and parted his lips as Naruto's hungry tongue invaded the warm cavities of his mouth. He wanted to taste Sasuke's tongue, all rationalities had left his mind. At this moment, he wanted nothing more to do with his inner-dialogues regarding sexuality explorations—he only wanted nothing more than to launch expeditions inside Sasuke's delicious mouth.

Sasuke tilted his head as he tried to copy Naruto by licking back with his own tongue. A moan escaped Naruto's throat. Sasuke sucked on Naruto's tongue as Naruto plunged in deeper down that sweet cavern, darting his tongue in and out of that hot mouth, deeper and deeper with each excruciating movement of his tongue.

Naruto pulled back to licked and suck feverishly at his upper lip.

Sasuke responded by nibbling on Naruto's bottom, prompting another sound of desire deep from the blonde's thorax. He felt a pool of heat surrounding his lower regions as the familiar sensation of his member hardening returned. He bucked his hips against Naruto and the blonde pressed down on him harder with his own straining erection. There was nothing left to hide from imaginations. The huge imprint of Naruto's member outlined the front of his school pants. He ground it on Sasuke's own shamelessly.

Sasuke choked back a moan, but he did not know how much longer he could hold it down. This painful and blissful new sensation that grabbed at all his thoughts to force him to submit. He gave in to its sadistic pleasure. He let go on squeezing his thighs together and let Naruto's body slide in further between himself, wanting to feel more of this desire.

Naruto's hand wandered to the back of Sasuke's pants and gave his ass a hard squeeze. Sasuke responded by rewarding Naruto with another buckling of his hips and a hiss from between his teeth. Naruto slipped his hand inside the back of his pants and let the tips of his fingers caressed Sasuke's smooth skin. He traveled down until his entire hand was on Sasuke's bare ass cheek, rubbing lazy patterns onto his flesh.

Sasuke tried to push him away—but  _weakly_. His body was not of his control anymore.

Naruto wandering digits found the cress between his cheeks and ran a heated finger down the center.

Sasuke panicked to push him away— _harder_ this time, but still kept their bodies busy with the sucking and latching of his tongue. His body gave in.

Finding Sasuke's wrinkled opening, he rubbed the rim with one hot finger that was looking to seek refuge within.

Sasuke gasped loudly at the strange sensation. He blushed a deep scarlet, burying his face at the nape of Naruto's neck.

Naruto put pressure on the rim as he rubbed the outside, alternating between circling and stroking it up and down with pressure that increased with each second passed. He wanted to feel Sasuke's insides so badly. Naruto's finger could almost taste it; Sasuke's tightness was begging to be touched and stretched as he felt the tiny opening released and clutched at his sizzling abuse. His finger tip had only grazed his opening—when Sasuke's cellphone's annoying,  _son-of-a-ringtone_  interrupted goddamn  _everything._

Naruto's hand retreated back as he knelt between Sasuke's legs with both hands on his knees. He kept his eyes on the ground.

Sasuke swiftly got out of his trance and recomposed himself as he reached in his pocket to take out his cellphone. It was Itachi. It was Itachi calling him and he will not miss this phone call for his life.

Naruto was left dumbfounded sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and looking to the side; a brilliant scarlet across his cheeks.

"Where are you?" Sasuke yelled into the speaker. "Itachi, where were you? Why did you turn off your phone? Nii-chan, are you ok?"

"Hey, Sasuke. I'm fine. Where are you?"

"I'm—" Sasuke looked at Naruto who looked away at a wall, "—just at school."

"I'll be home soon. Sasuke… I…  _miss_  you. Will you be home today?"

"Yes, Itachi… I'll be home right  _now_." Sasuke got up and dusted himself off with one hand. Sasuke hung up as he gathered things up, getting ready to go home. Naruto was caught staring at the ground with disappointment in his eyes. Sasuke reached out a hand and gestured for Naruto to take it, but he slapped it away.

"I could stand up by myself."

"Naruto…"

"I really embarrassed myself today. I'm a jerk... And this will never happen again…" Naruto got up and turned on his heel. "It's all my fault. I swear to you this will not happen again." He walked towards the exit. "I'm sorry..."

Naruto was about to leave him behind again. He felt his heart was being choked by all the veins in his body. "Naruto, no, wait! It's not—" Sasuke ran after him and grabbed his hand, pulling him back around to face him. He sighed. "Naruto… It's fine." He held Naruto's hand with an iron grip. "No, it's fine. You did nothing wrong. It's fine..."

Naruto's darted his eyes at Sasuke with embarrassment. "No... no it's not fine. That was a mistake. And it's all my fault. Maybe, I'm crazy. I'm not myself…"

"No, you're not! If you are crazy and not yourself then that makes both of us…" Sasuke held Naruto's hand tighter and pulled him into a hug; they gazed into each other's eyes; the soft winter sunlight reflected upon their irises. "I…. don't know what it means yet, but I liked  _that_ … It felt nice… and I would be ok, with it… and yeah…" Sasuke didn't know where his mind was going again. He didn't know how to put it into words. It was something foreign to him. All he knew was that he wanted more of it and only Naruto could give it to him.

"Sasuke, I… don't… ya know, I shouldn't… like  _guys_. You  _don't_ understand..." Naruto tried to push Sasuke away and be freed of that embrace, but was held back tighter by the other. "Sasuke, you don't understand! I… My life is complicated and there are still things I have to figure out, and—"

Sasuke pulled him into a chaste kiss on closed lips. They paused, feeling each other's warmth through the joining of their soft lips. It was that instant—that nothing else mattered in the world, but only the kiss, a testament to their feelings for each other; it was pure and it was tangible. It did not lie. They gave in to the most primal part of human affections in that single, chaste caress. Sasuke parted from their lips to kiss Naruto's flushed cheek and he let him. "I just wanted to kiss you, if that's ok… Because…because it felt nice…" He ran a thumb along the curves of Naruto's chin, a snow flick melted under his thumb, "Why can't you just enjoy it? You obviously liked it..."

Naruto closed his eyes, wanting so bad to deny his feelings for the Uchiha, but cannot. Everytime Sasuke'd touched him he felt like he was made into another person. A person with all these hidden oppressed feelings that screamed for the Uchiha's attention. He wanted so badly to just be normal, but he knew that he was nothing but. He felt an unnatural attraction towards the one that was holding him in his arms. Naruto felt Sasuke's heart beating desperately, begging, like a presence that was crying out to be saved. He kept his eyes closed as he felt that soft brush of his kiss on his heated cheek; it sent blisters of nerve-shattering electricity crawling on the surface of his skin. If Sasuke wanted him to save him, he will give in to save him.

Sasuke grabbed the back of Naruto's head to pull him closer and he let him. He spoke into the nape of Naruto's neck. "How about…" He started out shyly, "if we figure things out together…?" He could feel Naruto's uncertained nod and smile on his own neck. "We don't have to tell anyone." He whispered. "Nobody else in the world will matter… It will just be us… it will be our world and nobody could stop us… Nobody will judge us… Nobody will know…"

The world was still and for a short moment there was silence.

Naruto widen his eyes in shock as a shiver prickled the base of his spine and into his entire body at hearing those eerily familiar words, as if he'd heard this speech for the millionth time, but had no memories of it ever been spoken. An innate and dormant part of him jolted awake as if his mind's eyes had suddenly been opened. A strange memory; there was no recollection of it, none that he knew of. The meaning of those words grabbed at his heart in an alarming way that screamed at him with guilt. Icy sweat broke out from the palm of his hands as if he could feel the word's physical form looming in his presence, surrounding him and breathing onto his neck. He squeezed his eyes close and he blinked for a mere instant, as he saw scenes flashed in his mind that was all but too real, all but too clearly—

_At first, it was the moving image of soft ruffling grass below his feet—but wait, those were not his own feet. He was not lying down, they were someone else's feet. He caught sight of a trail of blood that touched that marbled skin. His eyes followed the trail as it has gotten more pronounced as it reached up to the figure's covered thighs; the white shorts were stain with splotches of blood that told a story of utter violence in its markings. Then, he eyes continued to travel upwards as he came upon a chest rising and falling in a tottering, shuddering rhythm, covered by clothing that was once pure white, but now was stained with the same forceful display of crimson that had seeped through from underneath._

_This person was in his arms. He was warm, but quickly losing heat as he felt his own hand lifted to cup this person's chin. His thumb brushed across his quivering bottom lip as the person was speaking, but as if the world was in a vacuum, nothing was audible, not even the rustling of leaves that were blowing violently beside them. There were only the sounds of his heart pounding heavily within his ears as the person mouthed those inescapable, forbidden words._ 'Nobody will judge us… Nobody will know…"

Naruto blinked.

He was back again on the rooftop with Sasuke holding him in his arms. The coldness bit at his senses.

Sasuke placed another kiss on Naruto's other cheek, and noticed the distraught boy's shiver as his face turned pale.

"Naruto, what's wrong? We can take it slow… " Sasuke broke away from holding onto him, seeing how Naruto's reactions might have signaled his forwardness as a misunderstanding. "I just… I felt really good when I'm with you. When I'm with you, the part of me that was empty was no longer empty… I don't know how to explain…"

"Sasuke, it's not that…"

"Then what?" Sasuke wanted an answer from Naruto. He wanted to know how Naruto feel about him. Naruto, the only person that could fill that last missing gap, that can put a lasting halt to his downward spiraling of loneliness. Naruto's touch can mysteriously do that.

"Let's get you to the station. Your brother needs you."

The walk to the train station was silent. Sasuke tried to hold Naruto's hand a few times, but the affection was not returned as the other's hand retracted every time he grazed his fingers with his. Maybe Sasuke'd done something wrong. He looked at the hand that touched Naruto's and then sneaked a peek at Naruto's face.

There was something in Naruto's eyes that had changed. He was concentrated on a particular thing and was not letting Sasuke in on it.

Naruto kept thinking about the imagery. It was so real and it was so intense. He did not know what to make of it as he kept it in silence from the one walking beside him, not noticing the pain in his eyes.

()-()-()-()

The short walk had led them to the train station.

Sasuke turned to enter the train, but his wrist was grabbed by Naruto, who flung him back to face him. Naruto took a step forward and planted a quick peck on the tip of his nose that resembled the touch of a feather swiftly being blown away. "Sasuke, don't think too much about it. Let's talk another day, ok? I promise." Naruto looked around to see if anyone had seen that.

He took a step backwards into the car. The door slid to a close in front of his face as the noise inside the car was shut off to the platform.

They regarded each other as the train started to move.

Sasuke breathed onto the glass window in front of him, fogging up the area in front of his face. With his finger, scribbling quickly, he drew the shape of a heart on the glass.

Naruto's smile turned the corner of his lips.

Sasuke touched his lips with his fingers.  _Yes, it was real._  He smiled to himself. They'd kissed.

But Sasuke couldn't figure out why Naruto seemed ashamed to show his feelings for him at the station.

()-()-()-()

Sasuke felt a darker part of himself died as the memories of the past few days washed away the empty shadows of his loneliness. He was no longer alone, and he was no longer afraid of the unknown. In the small amount of memories that he owned, he felt himself kept holding onto this one and replaying it over and over again in his mind.

He touched his lips again to remind himself that a part of him was given to another who adored him, even though the other could not bring to himself to admitting it because of his own inner turmoil. He felt a certain sadness for the blonde as he couldn't understand why he cannot just give in peacefully to something that was so blameless and pure, that such feelings could only be compared to the first of the morning snow, but warm like the last summer sun.

He had arrived at his home as Itachi scampered to greet him at the door, almost slipping on the wooden floor as he was in his socks. His older brother held him in his arms; his fingers tangled in his hair in the back of his head. "Sasuke… I really miss you. Where have you been?"

And Itachi held him ever so tightly, seeming to squeeze the last of his air from out of his body.

He saw his brother cried a tear before it was wiped away by his hand as Itachi turned towards the kitchen, carefully in his step, he brushed pass the pictures on the wall as he walked. Sasuke noticed that his hand lingered on a particular picture for a split second more, wiping at a particular spot with his finger as if there was a speck to be cleaned; his brother continued on towards the kitchen without so much as to acknowledge that spot.

Sasuke followed behind in Itachi's footsteps as he wonder why the wooden floor was so cold as they could have easily gotten rugs for the hallway and living room, but there was none of that. He stole a glance at the picture his brother was touching. It was a picture of themselves; Itachi held Sasuke's shoulder as Sasuke proudly held up a trophy of some sort. The mark was brief and was barely even noticeable, if Sasuke hadn't caught his brother lingered on the frame, he would have never noticed. There was a smudge of redness dried across the glass—right on top of the Sasuke picture's smiling face.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the picture.

Something stood out to him that he hadn't noticed before.

* * *

**_To be Continued..._ **

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Please read and review! Your encouragement keeps me updating more. Come out from lurking! I know where you live (no I don't). I know, I know... the story is still in development right now and I'm trying my best to introduce them still. Say hi to Shisui, everybody.
> 
> "Hi Shisui~", everybody said.
> 
> "Hi everybody, I'm blind." Shisui said.
> 
> "Aww, that's so sad!" Everybody said.
> 
> "But my junk is huge!" Shisui said.
> 
> "Yay!" Everybody said.
> 
> And now that we are all acquainted...


	11. Threes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hurt comes from the most unexpected of places, just when clues about Itachi's lie was beginning to surface. Will this set Sasuke a step forward or a step back? Will he be strong enough or revert back to his depression?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note about the cigarettes: I know that it seemed like I had romanticized the cancer schtickz, in which I had, but it was done in part of the metaphor throughout the story, if you haven't noticed already. It stood for different things in different situations: foreboding Menma's death, Naruto's lingering guilt and degeneracy, Sasuke's displeasure with it, and especially how the cigarette bud had dropped on the floor in different situations meaning different things…AMONGST OTHERS. I feel like if I must explain all the symbolism and metaphors and hints that went into it so far, I might be undermining my readers, so just read and enjoy them if you catch them… I tried my best! :D
> 
> ANYWAYS, ONWARD! :D

 

Details are  _funny_  things.

Details make everything physical and memorable. Everything could be details, from the way Itachi lean a little too heavily on his right leg when he walks, to the particular way his fingers curl when he taps on the back of the magazine. These are all details, but not the  _funny_  kind of details that changes you, that makes you think; kind that would question your existence. Details so small, that once you noticed, you will need to prep your anus generously with lube, because bricks will be shat.

Sasuke noticed the detail, more specifically, a very small, very particular detail that he noticed in a random picture amongst all the pictures in the house. He had noticed the detail of Itachi's prolonged lingering on that particular picture, whether he was conscious of his actions or not.

Sasuke looked, and something was different, or perhaps to say, something that he'd never noticed before until now. In the picture, a healing gash was visible on Sasuke's right shoulder and it was long (and looked quite deep). Sasuke smoothed a hand over his own right shoulder (and his left, just in case). No gash. Nor does it bear evidence of it ever having been hurt before. A slight panic had set in. He ghosted his hand over both his shoulders again. And then he turned his head down to look on his shoulders while pulling down both sides of his collar. Nothing. Not even a mark was visible on either of his shoulder.

For as much as he knew about cuts (deep cuts), there will at least be scars. Itachi had told him about his dislocated shoulder and broken leg, and there were definitely scars, but there was nothing on Sasuke's shoulders. Like he was a completely different person.

Itachi called out to him from the kitchen.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the Itachi in the picture. Thoughts of misgiving plagued a vein that kept his heart in beats. He knew for a fact that cuts like that does not just up and disappear, even if given enough time, they were scars for a reason.

He decided he will go to Itachi and acted as if he was oblivious as he was a week ago, and wished that he was dead wrong in the plausible scenarios that played like movie screens in his mind.

The first scenario: There is  _another_ Sasuke.

Running on that tangent, these were the questions that he'd asked himself: The obvious, " _Is there really another Sasuke?"_

A little voice told him that maybe he'd gotten hurt before and his shoulder healed without scars and he was freaking out, out of nothing. Or maybe he'd gotten some super reconstructive surgery that made his shoulders scar-less. But no, these theories do not add up.

" _What about the other Sasuke? Where is he now?"_  And  _"In_   _what ways can another Sasuke exist?"_

Twins. Twins, like Menma and Naruto? And there was also the possibility of Sasuke making up the whole "twin"-thing in his head. He tried to think of ways for another "Sasuke" to exist without him being a twin, but cannot grasp in his immediate panic to find another plausible theory.

Also, there was this second scenario.

The second scenario being: There  _was_  another Sasuke.

…Which was still a grime piece of hypothesis to his theory, because everything in the first theory would still apply, while the second scenario's implied  _"was"_  crawled up his skin and rose more than a few goose bumps in its afterthoughts.

Evidence also supported this claim.

The questions Sasuke asked himself regarding the second scenario were:  _"What happened to that Sasuke that was here then?"_ , " _Why do we have an empty house with pictures of people that look like us?",_  " _what happened to those people in the pictures that are not in this house anymore?"_  and _"How did we end up at this house (and we just so happened to look like those people)?"_

And finally, the dreaded third scenario: Sasuke is a nut job,  _crazy_. He had imagined everything and was beyond paranoid. Just like the doctor that had told him about the nightmares that would eventually go away, but didn't. Could this be one of the after effects of his memory lapse?

He asked the following questions in the third scenario: " _So, if I'm crazy, how come my thoughts are (mostly) logical?"_  And " _If I'd imagined everything so far— what was real and what was fake?"_  And, " _What caused the lost of my memories? Was what Itachi told me real?"_

Sasuke suddenly felt his insides boil sick with paranoia.

Overlooking all the scenarios, though there could be discrepancies, Sasuke could safely conclude that all three theories can exist together and each would support the other—and that was the  _good_  news. The bad news: something was definitely suspicious about Itachi's lies.

All evidences point to this: Itachi is hiding a huge secret from him and that secret has S _omething_  to do with  _Everything_.

Sasuke took another step towards the kitchen.

Itachi smiled at him lovingly and directed him to sit down at the kitchen stool.

… _But he also knew that Itachi loved him and that was most definitely not a lie…_

If only things were simpler.

* * *

 

**Chapter 11**

**Threes**

 

* * *

Shisui had offered him physical comfort in the form of sexual punishment to his body.

Punishment was comforting because Itachi needed the punishment for the wrongs that he had done. And nobody else could punish Itachi as Shisui did, so Itachi used him, and Shisui, though knowingly accepted his disregards, gladly obliged.

Love was a painful thing to master when one was blind,  _really_ , literally blind, so one could only bow in slavery to it, and on top of that,  _blindly_  in love, and lost in a new world where the only compass available was a stiff erection pointing North. And one could never really be lost when the compass did its job well, but when one was blind, he must physically feel its directions, whether the directions be north, south, west, east, south east,  _and by gods_ , upside down, or inside out—as long as the directions can lead down a road of discovering one's self that was buried deep inside another.

Shisui had found his way home, and Itachi was immensely satisfied.

_— in some form of self-gratifying, sick, damning way..._

"Itachi?"

His little brother entered through the kitchen door, but did not immediately sit down in front of the sandwich that Itachi had sat upon the table as a snack. He circled around his chair while keeping his focus on his hand before plopping down on the kitchen stool.

"I thought you like sandwiches."

Sasuke sat down and took a bite.

Itachi watched as Sasuke took a bite, and then another.

Sasuke mindlessly ate through the whole sandwich. He only stopped when he had finished it and wiped his mouth of the crumbs with the back of his hand as he looked at his plate with a blank expression.

And then Itachi hugged him.

At first he was startled, but then he lean in to feel the warmth of his brother's arms. They were different than Naruto's arms. Itachi's were much stronger and longer, holding onto him with a certain strength from within, while Naruto's arms were almost too soft for the touch even though he was ripped with toned muscles underneath his clothes. Itachi held him lovingly.

"Sometimes, I feel empty inside." Sasuke whispered at Itachi's nape as he thought upon his recent theories. "And I don't know what is real anymore…"

"Me too." Itachi felt Sasuke's tears on his skin as he too cried. His tears trailed down onto his little brother's forehead and then the bridge of his nose. Something unspoken was understood between the both of them, that something needed to be resolved before it was too late, but neither was about to give in. Neither was about to give away what they knew— _especially_  Itachi.

Sasuke didn't want to ask him anything, right now, he just wanted his big brother to tell him that everything will be okay. He only wanted his big brother to love him. Itachi loved him, and Sasuke was scared to find out about the lies. What if that would cause Itachi to stop loving him? He cannot have that.

The brothers had fallen asleep on the couch, Itachi held sasuke's head in his lap and ran his fingers through his silky tresses. Sasuke slept peacefully after he had mentioned but a couple of sentences regarding his nightmares about the bloody hands. Itachi reassured him that it was nothing, and could gathered as much from his retelling, but refused to let Sasuke in the  _know_. There was no need to. Sasuke was alive, and possibly pleased that he had found a friend and had had the nerve to leave his brother for nights before coming back, and in turn, Itachi had had his lust secretly filled for good measures. To let Sasuke even tip his foot in the direction of Know would /might possibly bring dire consequences that he yet cannot foresee.

And per scheduled, he would lie even if when he was caught.

The next few days, Sasuke went to school from his house and wore his winter uniform for the first time. He had to admit that he was wrong about what a normal uniform would smell like until now. He concluded that the new uniform does not smell like old cigarettes.  _Naruto's cigarettes…_

For the first day, he didn't see Naruto and had only seen him briefly after school as he was walking away from Sasuke, even though Sasuke was sure that Naruto had seen him coming. Sasuke called his name, but was ignored. Maybe Naruto didn't see him.

The second day, he had ran into Naruto in the boys bathroom where their eyes met. Naruto had pushed past him quickly and dashed down the hall and into his classroom where he was not seen again for the rest of the day. That had felt like a slap to Sasuke's face.

The third day had grown increasingly awkward as they were forced to pair together as partners for gym class while refusing to exchange nothing but a few words to each other and had scored an earth-shattering low in the Teamwork mark. Sasuke had wanted to say something to Naruto as they were changing in the boys locker room, but the situation did not help itself as they were surrounded by other males getting naked and changing, further polishing this increasingly awkward situation to the point of  _unbearably_  awkward. Naruto had walked out on Sasuke while brushing past him between the lockers and the front of his body. Sasuke had held his breath.

It was the third day when Sasuke decided that he must corner Naruto to get some answers, and decided that it was best to make contact with him at the place that he frequented most: The weekly  _6_ _Paths of Pain_  live, that he could bet his right nut on, that Naruto will not miss for the world.

It was not Sasuke's personality to be so forward as he reflected on his decision while leaning against the door inside the train car, but then again, what was Sasuke's personality? He had to start from scratch, without memories in helping him prevaricate, doing everything without regrets and live with no hold bars. The train car had arrived at the station and had come to a halting stop.

And Sasuke held onto the bar above him to avoid from falling down.

He patted his uniform jacket of the snow that had fallen on him as he exited the train.

Again, he was not dressed to the occasion, but only decided to show up at the concert in his school uniform, which he himself deemed acceptable, seeing how he did not make the decision to stay and enjoy the concert later, but rather, just to be in person to talk to Naruto and get some kind of words from out of the blonde in regards to their situation. It had just dawned on Sasuke that he and Naruto have a  _situation_ now.

He hated it, every part of it, and most of all, Sasuke hated thinking back on every caress that Naruto made while his fingers danced upon his flushed skin, leaving fire in their tracks. That way that soft kiss had moved about, and the way Naruto's tongue seem to tango with his like a pair of skillful Spanish  _bailadores_. He hated the red scarf that was currently around his neck rendering nothing but Naruto's odor… He hated... Oh  _gods_ , and the way Naruto had held him in his arms to keep him warm while looking at him with those deep blue eyes, how absolutely _hateful_  that was. He hated this Situation that must be made into a Situation (by Naruto, and it was all his fault, of course), when this so-called Situation should not even have had existed in the first place.

He hated it. He loathed it. He hated himself. He hated everything. He wanted to scream. He hated the floor. He hated the ceiling. He hated that damn trash can at the station as he kicked it in. He hated those people at the station that had stared at him like he was a crazy person who'd just potentially escaped from the loony bin. And then, he hated his pure heart that was made a fool to believe, and he was not about to take it without Naruto even breathing a word of explanation on his ridiculous actions.

So the first thing he did when he saw Naruto after the concert was landing a punch straight into his face.

Sasuke remembered he told that bastard that orange was a terrible color for an eye shadow, but he didn't listen. Sasuke punched him again in his stomach. That latter one was for not taking his advice.

A crowd slowly gathered as a fight was sure to break out.

Naruto was lucky to have friends because it took both Shikamaru and Chouji to hold the crazy person back from screaming and punching Naruto's lights out. Naruto held back and did not retaliate.

"Naruto! I demand explanations!" Sasuke broke the hold from Shikamaru's arm with a hard shove, the red scarf around his neck flopping wildly behind him. "Do you like playing with people like that? Is that what you do?"

Naruto patted his jacket down as he wiped his nose with the back of his index finger, blood appeared to be seeping down after that hard punch. "Sasuke, calm down. You are drawing unnecessary attention."

"Oh no, I think I'm drawing all the most necessary of attentions in this life and the next! Naruto, are you just playing with my feelings?" The crowd grew thicker as people began to talk from ear to ear. A pair of twin girls with long curly pink hair and leopard boots giggled and pointed to Sasuke with their friends. Soon, everyone was doing the same. "Wh—why did you ignore me…?" Sasuke's hand reached out, "Why did you turn away?" wanting to get a grip on Naruto's jacket when the blonde took Sasuke's hand and shoved him to the floor in a single motion. Sasuke fell firmly to the ground, with nothing to hold on to.

"Uchiha, don't you know when you've been toyed with?" Naruto said matter-of-factly, staring down at the new student from where he stood, his shadows loomed over the one with his brand new school uniform covered in dust. He said slowly and calmly. "I was bored and wanted to see if I could make a guy fall in love with me, and…" He trailed off, not bothering to finish the sentence as the meaning was clear to both parties. The crowd gathered closer to listen to the final blow.

Sasuke shivered. He clutched the ground beneath him. He felt like he was sinking, gripping at the ground with his fingers for purchase, trying to find his bearings, he cannot sink lower than this.  _It's not possible…_

"I'm sorry you thought I liked you or something, but I think you should stop thinking about me and go home." Naruto's words were clear, spoken without a hint of sympathy or remorse. "And you can keep my scarf, I don't really want it back after you'd touched it..." Naruto lowered his voice as he trailed off at the end. And then Naruto spoke the three words that had decided Sasuke's fate, while staring right into his shattering soul.

Sasuke could only see the movements of Naruto's mouth speaking the words as everything around him had muted away.

Sasuke thought he couldn't have sank any lower than the ground, but then, his tears fell, and he fell with them, in through the hole that was ripped empty from his bleeding heart.

_It's just not possible…!_

The way Naruto had mouthed the words shook and blurred in his vision as they played repeatedly in his mind's eye, mocking him. There was laughter that surrounded him as he felt his tears pooled at his chin. Everyone was laughing. It was  _funny_. His hand moved up to cover his quivering mouth in disbelieve. And his tears didn't stop, as he let them flow freely onto his face and onto his hand.

Through the thin cracks between the crowds, two curious persons watched calmly as a smirk drifted upon one of their curved lips. Nagato threw a cigarette on the ground and stepped on it with his heel as he turned to leave; he didn't leave it to burn out on its own. Yahiko followed behind.

()-()-()-()

Sasuke walked mindlessly down the streets, turning at the back alleys, without so much as thinking about what dangers that might lie ahead behind the dark corners. His hands shook as he felt the mossy sweat on the walls. He brushed past them. He needed something to hold on to and the cold walls were his only comfort.

Snow began to fall as he hugged himself with both hands while leaning against the wall. He felt his tears began anew as he thought back on Naruto's once warm touch, his radiant smile, and the way Naruto's soft hair had felt on his cheek while he slept in his arms. These memories were like scenes from an old movie, its vibrant colors fading and Naruto's face began to flicker and blur.

His feelings for Naruto gutted him in the heart like a frozen blade as he felt another wave of pain rushed to severe his rib cage. Emotional pain was real, he realized. Sasuke fell to his knees, his vein turning to ice in front of the teary veil over his eyes. He looked at his hand, the one that Naruto shoved away.  _It hurts._  He closed the hand into a fist to stop his hand from shaking. He couldn't stop his tears from flowing as it was his only relief and comfort. They know of his pain. They became the only thing that was physical. Pain was real, if nothing in the world was—Pain was.

He cried louder, sobbing into the wall at his side. What was there to hold his pride? Nothing. Nothing mattered at this point. He slammed his fist into the wall, not flinching a brick. He hated this wall. So he slammed his fist into it again and again, cursing with tears flowing down his chin and into the snow. He slammed on the wall violently, until his hand was covered by his own blood and was the snow next to his knees. It hurt, but it didn't hurt as much as the hole that Naruto had carved out with his dispassionate blue eyes; the way that Naruto's narrowed eyes had bitten at him, making him want to crawl into a cave and die.

He let his bloody and broken hands soak into the snow and watched as the purity of it turned into crimson. What a relief. How beautiful. How simply pure his feelings for Naruto was that it could be painted as such, this grotesque display of sentiments. Naruto had made him whole, and he had taken everything away, even more so than before he had met him, and he had done so so brilliantly with only the three words that escaped between his smirking lips,  _"I hate you."_

Sasuke screamed.

He thought no one was watching his wild displays until a pair of shadows appeared behind him to grab his shoulders and yanked him to his feet.

Sasuke gasped and held his breath as the two shadows pulled him into their arms to hold him still. He tried to struggle, one of them backed off, but the other one wouldn't let go. He felt the muscular arm of the man expand, while squeezing all the air out from his lungs through his smaller frame.

The man lifted Sasuke's chin with his calloused fingers and looked piercingly into his teary eyes.

The hum of the street lamps resounded incessantly as the pale yellow light reflected upon the man's bright violet eyes. He was no stranger. It was that, 6 Paths of Pain, Nagato holding him fully in his arms.

"We saw what happened and followed you." Yahiko leaned against the wall. "It's honestly no biggie. Everyone had had his heart crushed at least once in his life, am I correct, Nagato?"

Nagato breathed into the air in front of him and let out a sigh. He chuckled. "I would know, because I  _am_  the master of Pain, and the master will always be a slave to his bondage. And mine was…" He paused on that thought and continued coolly. "We all have our weaknesses. One just needs to find ways to deal, whether it might coincide with the way our society think or  _not_."

"And that is…" Sasuke spoke softly, but with a hint of regression.

"Only by understanding and crying along side with them, can we get closer to understanding their true Pain..." The tall  _6 Path_  member with the orange hair stared off into the night sky, watching intently at each snow flake that drifted slowly down the low fluorescent streetlight. "It is then can we speak honestly with each other..."

Sasuke tried to back off, but was held tightly by Nagato.

"Why don't we find out together?" Nagato whispered into his ear as he tightened his hold. Sasuke felt something hard pressed up at his front. "Now that we know, that you too fancy the same gender…" Nagato made the bold move of sneaking his hand in front of Sasuke's, rubbing him through the thick fabric that was his school pants. "And we think you're cute."

Sasuke felt a heat brushed up on his face as he felt another person toddled behind him with something hard against the crack of his ass. That person reached around his hips to make circles around his waist, his thumbs kneading him in the meaty part of his butt.

Nagato reached lower, nudging Sasuke's legs apart with his knee to make room for his hands reaching for the small span of muscle between the base of his balls and his anus. He rubbed circles and put pressure on that delicious spot, bringing very satisfied wiggles from the boy between him and Yahiko's heated bodies.

Yahiko's fingers made their way to Sasuke's back pockets and touched him through the fabric. A small mewl escaped Sasuke's lips as Yahiko grazed over a particularly sensitive spot around the bottom of his ass cheeks.

Hearing Sasuke's moan was all they need. Yahiko backed off first, then Nagato backed off, leaving a very flushed and aroused and confused Sasuke falling into a heap on the floor in between the two tall men.

"You will come to us in due time," Yahiko straightened his clothes and took out a lighter from his back pocket. "Nagato is not really into the whole rape thing, if that was what you thought was going to happen." His arm reached over to light the cigarette between Nagato's lips.

Nagato shrugged as he puffed out a cloud of smoke. "Whatevs."

"Nagato there, would much prefer to have you come to us in your own accord." Yahiko too had a cigarette in his mouth.

Nagato drew closer to him and touched the bud of his cigarette with his; Yahiko sucked in air to light his own, looking deeply into Nagato's eyes. It was an act best described as a metaphor for sex.

"And you will know where to find us, boy… Wait, what's your name again?"

Sasuke told them and Nagato breathed his name between his lips. The two walked away from Sasuke without so much as batting an eyelash on his sunken form in the snow. Nagato simply shrugged again before putting a strong arm around Yahiko's shoulder, pulling the man closer to his body as they walked down the alley in a cloud of smoke.

A pang of jealousy rose from his chest. Sasuke wanted that comfort as well. He wanted Naruto's arm to pull him into his own to hold him while they walk down the street. He felt his eyes began to moisten again and shook away the tears. As he was getting up, something fell from his back pocket and onto the ground.

It was a small bag of some sort. He picked it up to examine its content. It was no mistake that it was the blue ice-like substance, that  _meth_ that they were doing last time. It was but a small amount, but inside the bag was something else, a string of numbers jot loosely on a scrap piece of paper. A phone number. Yahiko had probably put it there while he was feeling Sasuke up.

Sasuke ran his finger over the number and bit his lip, feeling his groin reacting to the memory of their touches as he took a deep breath to calm the nerves in his body.  _What's the harm?_  He could always say no, and they were not looking to force him.

He shoved the small bag back into his pocket and ran down the street.

He will keep this for now.

* * *

**_To be continued…_ **


	12. Flood Always Comes at Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The kiss that sealed their love at the train station-- what happened that night that changed Naruto's mind? Sasuke, who wandered off from pain of rejection, meets an unlikely person that might or might not be the best to help him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I only just noticed that my readers might see some plot holes (that might seemed like it was poorly written on my part), but no worries, they are intentionally left out and will all be explained in the future, from how Naruto was born into this world with a twin, to the house, to Itachi's secret, to Shisui, to Madara...etc It all follow a specific set of rules and conditions.
> 
> Don't ask me why Naruto's last name is not Namikaze… LOL They never explained it in the manga/anime, so I don't feel a need to explain it here. Let's just accept it as something the parents decided before they were born :D
> 
> Just in case. I should tell you. This chapter takes place at the same time as the last chapter so not to confuse some of yous.

 

**Chapter 12**

**Flood Always Comes at Night**

* * *

It was at that moment, that his world completely dissolved into nothing but bliss as Sasuke drew the heart on the window as he was tote away in the train, a silent testament to his feelings for Naruto.

The warmth of Sasuke's skin and his smell still lingered in Naruto's grasp. He breathed out, and his breath tasted deliciously of the man of his dreams. The flush on his cheeks had warmed him, even in this cold, he felt he was but a step away from an untamed and swelling fire. The people around him were pacing in hurried steps, rushing to their next destinations, but here, with only himself and his hand over his beating heart, standing in the middle of the busy station staring dumbfounded onto the now empty tracks, was a very lovesick puppy. His name was Naruto.

Never in his life had he felt so deeply about someone that had drove him mad with apprehension. Indeed, it was more than the touch from the man, and even more than his words, it was beyond gender and beyond everything he thought he knew about himself. He was not gay, he'd realized, and somehow rationalized, that he was just purely in love. In love with  _someone_. Just purely in love with a  _person_. And he could finally bring himself to admitting it. He wanted to show Sasuke off to the world. He did not want to rush things as he was not ready to commit himself. He would start out shy and small with a light kiss on the nose, as he had did at the station before Sasuke had left.

And it was at that moment, principal Sarutobi's assistance had seen their little display of affection at the station. She gasped and clasped a hand over her mouth behind the crowd as she noticed that those were the students from their school. What bold moves! They were even wearing their school uniforms. It was that rebel Uzumaki Naruto, of all people, kissing that, oh-so-luscious, new student, Uchiha Sasuke.

Karin fumbled in her bag for her cell phone for the Principal, but then halted as she thought it to be a terrible idea, because it was technically not against the school rules to be,  _dare she thinks_ , homosexual. But she hated that kid, Naruto. His grades were at the bottom of the entire grade and the deans and faculty had given up on adjusting his vile attitude towards life and school, both, in which they deemed as the utmost importance, and rightfully so— _And_  he did  _not_  just kiss  _her_  Sasuke, did he? She had a better idea.

The first thing she did when she got to school the next day was to look up Naruto's personal file. She needed his parental contact information. She did not slowed in telling the tale to his angry father about his son's wild behavior at the station as she spoke loudly into the phone speakers.

"Shame on you, as his parent." She paused to adjust her glasses, even though she was not facing anyone physically. "Now, I have not informed the principal of your son's  _questionable_  public display of affections as of yet, and you, as parent, should have this problem taken care of before the word reaches others' ears and bring shame to our school, and to your family. And you know too well that before that happens, we will most definitely have him  _indefinitely_  suspended, if the problem persists."

He hung up.

Minato rubbed his temples as he buried his face in his palms. The phone rang again, and he made no hesitance in throwing the receiver off the hook along with the Bluetooth receiver in his ear.

A knock on the door, a middle-age woman in a slimming red dress peek her head in, arms holding a pile of documents and manila folders. "Sir, Mr. Nara is on line 4, he wishes to speak to you regarding your newest collaborations on the projects in the Middle-East."

"Tell him I'm busy."

"Sir, it's important that you do not miss this phone call. Millions of dollars are at stake."

"I said. I'm busy." Namikaze Minato's tone was tedious with a hint of annoyance. The phone call from his son's school came as a non-pleasant surprise, and a problem that needed to be taken care of immediately. He wracked his brain to think of a solution. He must contact his wife, they will figure something out. He will not let Naruto go down that road. "I don't need you to tell me how to do my job. Who is the boss here?"

"You sir! I'm sorry, sir!" She bowed a few times apologetically. "Yes, sir, if you so wish, I will take care of it for you. Is there anything else I could help you with?"

"Yes, dial and put my wife in private line 9, I wish to speak to her."

()-()-()-()

Naruto went to sleep knowing that another person in the world was thinking about him in the same way. He slept soundly and peacefully. Though the winter was at its peak, it was warm inside his apartment.

It was around 2am when a gust of wind invaded his front door as it was swung wide-open and unlocked from the outside. The hushed click of keys did not jeopardize the serenity of the night as his neighbors continued to sleep soundly in their respective homes.

The sleeping blonde was awaken harshly when a strong hand clasped over his mouth and did not slow to dragg him out of his bed and onto the floor. He tried to scream, but it was muffled by the hand. He turned to look at the perpetrator that had invaded his home, the same shade of blond hair was shadowing his face. He immediately recognized that as his father. And behind him, stood in a defiantly intimidating stance was none but his own mother, her red hair tied loosely in a ponytail.

"We are leaving. Now." She turned to leave as he was dragged behind to follow.

That night, Minato and Kushina, both of Naruto's father and mother had personally dragged him, with no shoes on but his night slippers, still in his pajamas, screaming and kicking out the door of his apartment and into their car.

They might have awakened the neighbors by now, but did not pay much heed as they were come and gone within a few minutes.

The engine of the car roared down the near empty streets, ignoring light signals at a few turns. His father was in a hurry to go somewhere, and it doesn't seem like it was a family trip to Disneyland.

"Son, do you remembered your brother," He finally spoke. It was a silly question, "our son, Menma?" Of course he did. "Do you remember what happened?" His dad's voice was judicial, full of accusations.

"Mom… Dad… What's going on?!" Naruto could barely keep his shoe on when his dad made a sharp turn out on to the main street. "Mom… Dad….?" His feet was cold and his hands were shaking.

The parents did not looked back at him in the back passenger seat, and he stayed back, as far away from his parent's rigid form as possible. He held onto the seat belt buckles that were not fastened.

Minato shifted gears as the car shudder with it. The bridge was up ahead and the car sped up onto the ramp.

Minato veered uncomfortably as he sped down the high way in top speed. Naruto had never seen his father in such a rage. His mother had kept deathly quiet and was breathing into a napkin, seemingly to keep calm, a stark contrast to the loud mouth nagging mother that she usually was. "We don't want the same thing happened to you, Naruto. We knew about Menma… and look where it led him? Nothing good ever came from, the lifestyle , such as the type you both… share…"

_How did they know about…?!_

"Mom, say something! Tell dad he's wrong about me!" Naruto tried to calm his mother by resting his hand on her arm, but his hand was batted away between her sobs.

"Naruto, just don't okay? Promise me you won't like boys, alright?" She sobbed into her already soaked napkin. He could tell that she did not want to talk. "Naruto, if your mommy loses you she would die. Die from sadness…"

"You are both talking crazy! Why would I die from…!" Minato made a sharp turn.

Naruto should really buckle his seat belts. He rolled to the right side in the back of the seats.

"Mom, even if I do… If I  _might_ … Why would I die?" His voice raised in volume. "You are not making any sense! Stop it!"

"Son, it's just the world. There would be no happy endings, you understand? It's not even about us and what we care about, it's about the world and how it turns. We just live in it, but we don't govern the rules. And I know that it will be a  _very_  sad end, if you don't stop your relationship or whatever that kiss was, that you planted on the male student from your school. Do you understand me, Naruto?" Minato made another sharp turn, Naruto hung on to the seats. "Do you understand me, I said." His voice was full of malice.

"Dad…!"

"Naruto, if you don't stop this this instant you will risk everything and our love. Do you understand?"

Naruto refused to answer, and no one else was dared to speak, only the sniffles from his mother's sobs resonated throughout the insides of the air-tight car. Minato pulled off the freeway, it was reaching a more rural part of town. They passed a small river and an old shrine; the rice paddy reflecting the half moon on its surface as it was the only light source decorative beside the road. The road grew narrower as the ground was rid of its smoothness and replaced by bumps and nicks along the way. Dust gathered around the speeding car, and Minato drove, silently without dissolution, uttering nothing but an air of silence.

Minato sped up a small hill that grew increasingly thicker with vegetation as they passed under a large red gate, a  _torii_ , and then another, and then another.

Naruto had a feeling about where they were headed as he struggled to breathe through his teeth.  _Not today. Why? At this hour, in this place._  "Mom, dad… I don't want to be here…  _please_!"

They had arrived at the place that Naruto had dreaded most in the world. They had arrived at the outskirts of the Temple grounds where Menma was lay at rest.

Recollections of that day pricked repulsively at his nerves. Emotions flooded his person, and he was left with nothing but its presence.

Naruto sobs and screams of displeasure was loud and engrossing as his parents dragged him up the steps to where his most beloved brother was buried. His screams echoed in the dark forest and the only animal that had heard him were the birds that had been frighten away from his aversion; a wolf howled in the distance. The trees continued to pile thicker as the only light visible was the moon above, half concealed by the shadow of the leaves above and the clouds that moved ominously across its face. He tripped and fell over a step, but was yanked up on his feet again to scurry along that darkened path that led up to another red torii gate. He lost a slipper, but no one cared to retrieve it. They crossed under the gate and have finally reached a plateau. Naruto's struggles had only grown more frantic as he tried to control his sobs and cries when he was dragged to kneel in front of a grave stone.

Menma's grave stone.

He screamed.

A blast of air swept from above, ruffling the grass around them, turning Naruto's lungs inside out as he tried to take in but a breath. It was freezing cold and his lips were quivering. His feet were frozen in the single thin slipper that was left. "Menma! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for everything!" He pounded the ground in front of him, grabbing a hand full of dirt that covered the grave. "Godammit! I didn't mean to… Men…Menma!" His tears streamed down his face like a floodgate that'd been released. All his anguish that was stored up was released at once and he let it flow.

"And what was Menma doing that had gotten him killed, Naruto?" His father knelt down on one knee next to him without breaking his eyes away from the writings on the grave stone. "Do you remember?"

"No, dad, I don't want to remember! Please stop!"

"Remember what you told the police in the report. You remember, don't you?" Minato knelt down next to Naruto and held him in his arms.

"Dad, I didn't do it on purpose to Men… I didn't do it on purpose, he was…. He was….!"

"He was raping a guy. That's what you told them and we don't want our son to be in the same situation ever again… Do you understand me…  _us_ , Naruto. It was shameful to our family, and most of all, hurtful to us, to you, and there are no chance for repeats!"

Kushina watched him, and then slowly knelt beside him while putting a hand behind his back. His mother pulled him into a hug first and then his father. And he sobbed and cried into their shoulders, "I'm sorry, Menma! I'm sorry, Mom, Dad… I won't… I promise… I won't!" He sobbed and screamed into the night.

The guilt of killing Menma burrowed deeper inside his heart, as his feelings for Sasuke each seeking dominance over him while he fought an internal battle that threatened to have his mind ripped in two.

He saw Sasuke in class and wanted to hug him, wanted to kiss him, but would immediately thought back to Menma, and the way Menma had forced himself upon that guy. He never wanted to do that to Sasuke, his Sasuke, no matter what. So he turned to walk another way even though Sasuke was calling out his name. He could see his father and mother's disappointment in him everytime he sneaked a glance at Sasuke during class. He was careful not to show much passion with his words, so he stopped talking to Sasuke all together. Maybe it was for the best if Sasuke would just leave him in his despair.

He cried silently as he went to sleep each night, fingers clutching firmly on the pillow that Sasuke had rested his head on but a few days ago. His tears mingled with his scent that was but a memory.

He was willing to throw everything away in the world for Sasuke, but Menma would not let him, even in death.

Those words that came out of his mouth hurt him more than Sasuke would ever know,

" _I hate you."_

If only Sasuke could see the tears that fell dreadfully down his face now; his eye shadow was a mess.

"Godammit…" Naruto turned to walk in the opposite direction but not before watching Sasuke walked off aimlessly away from the crowd that loomed over him in mockery of his pain. Their laughter never stopped as they seemed to enjoy his misery.

Shikamaru and Chouji both put an arm on Naruto's hunched shoulders as they exited the vicinity of the concert hall.

They had resisted punching Naruto's lights out, in exchange, they are going to make Naruto tell them what the fuck just happened.

()-()-()-()

Sasuke fell.

And there was nothing to hold on to.

For the next month or so, his thoughts had taken the spiraled staircase downwards, and sometimes thoughts of suicide would creep up on him again. He thought about the long train tracks that seemed to stretch endlessly. Just one step down, and everything will be able to end.

Itachi noticed something was wrong and made more time to spend with him, even though, frequently, his cell would ring off the hook with urgency. Sasuke ate less and had lost a noticeable amount of weight. He was mostly quiet in thoughts, and sometimes, Itachi would catch him crying to himself in his room while hugging an old tattered red scarf.

He sat in his room and stared out the window. It was bright outside, but his vision was only veiled in gray, every drop of color in this world was turned monochromatic. It was not that he cannot see colors, he can see them well, but they were just not as…vibrant as they used to be  _when_ …

"Sasuke, no matter what happens, you know I love you…"

Itachi had told him again and again during the month and he had cried into his brother's arms, no longer having the strength to question all the mysteries of his becoming, but only knew that Itachi loved him— loves him, had loved him, will love him—and was the only person who would ever truly loved him. Fuck all those scenarios and all the logic. He knew his brother must have lied to protect him or something. And he would do everything to return that love.

Sasuke caught Itachi off guard and kissed him on the lips again.

Itachi slapped him across the face, much harder than the last time he'd tried the same stunt. "Sasuke, what the effing fuck?!" But Sasuke did not answer and could only sink to his knees to cry, covering his eyes with both his hands, wiping furiously at them. "Sa-Sasuke… I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hit you so hard… I—"

Itachi need not to be reminded of that.  _The Kiss_  that skewered his perception and made him go through with  _it_ , turned him from _just_  a murderer to a raging immoral psychopath. The Kiss was a way to tell that his baby brother was hanging on a thin thread of going insane, or into depression, just like the last time. Something had happened to his precious little brother and he was not telling him. He tried to ask him, but he would just shut his door wanting to be left alone. It seemed that the more Itachi wanted to help, the further he was reluctantly being pushed away.

During this month and then some, though Itachi showed all the support he could give, he knew that Sasuke had given in to his depression again.

This doctor was the best, and was recommended by the nurse that had treated Sasuke at the hospital. He flipped the name card over to its back and back to the front again. After a few calls and pulling some strings, the appointment was made and he was even given a discount being orphans. Sasuke needed to go to a doctor for his depression, because it was driving Itachi mad as well…  _just a few more days until the appointment. Oh please, let the doctor fix him._

Itachi slept early that night and had left all the laundry and dishes undone until the next day. He was tired from the day's activities.

Sasuke trotted to the kitchen in his fuzzy pink bunny slippers and his fuzzy robe hanging half open, the knot loosely tied on the side. He needed some water after being dehydrated from crying so much these days. The kitchen light was on, he should turn it off. He extended his hand for the light switch. A glint from on top of the refrigerator had caught his eye. Itachi must have accidentally left the knife on top. Sasuke dropped his hand to pick it up. The blade reflected the white florescent light above his head. He twisted the blade around and watched in amusement in how the light traveled differently on the sharp blade.

A dark thought had come about to him in a murmur.

Sasuke raised the kitchen knife, its sharp point aimed towards his wrist; he needed the escape, he thought, and he needed it now. It will end. All his pain could end. Naruto's words, Itachi's lies, his emptiness, they could all end now if he so wished. His hand was shaking as he pulled the knife back, ready to plunge it into his own veins. He was ready.

Sasuke had decided to give in to death with that last, single wish— when that  _son-of-a-ringtone_  exploded out of nowhere. He stopped the point right above his wrist.

The knife dropped to the ground in a clunk.

He let the phone rang for a few moments before searching his pockets with shaking hands. He slipped his hand around the phone and held the device next to his tear-stricken face.

It was none other than the guy who had been ignoring him and putting him in hell for the past month.

The words were spoken without hesitation.

"I want to see you."

* * *

_**To Be Continued…** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I really tried to hurry along with the plot, but there was much base to cover for the story, if all goes well, in the chapter after the next one, we'll have a chance to dive into Itachi's secret again. Personally, I can't wait to just spoil it all in telling Itachi's guilt and secret and wtf happened and … the end. BUT, I'm gonna hold out! I'm gonna be strong! *o*
> 
> —and small spoiler! Orochimaru will come back… maybe…. ;) And we know he's not the kindest fellow…


	13. I Want to See You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Furious with Naruto's bullshit. Sasuke refused to hear him out, instead, he swore vengeance! 
> 
> (big surprise there, Sasuke-chan ^^;;;) *pats*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: long ass chapter, just like the first one. I was gonna split it into 2 again but decided not to… I can't wait that long. For fuck's sake, my blue balls, sasuke and naruto's blue bawlz, they need to be unleashed. With that said, sexual contents in this chapter.
> 
> :D

 

"I want to see you." Naruto breathed into the speaker of the phone.

At the sound of Naruto's voice, Sasuke felt fresh tears began to form again, and just when he'd just made the decision to end it all. The boy that had cast him out in front of everyone wanted to see him, wanted to speak to him. He'd been to hell and back because of this voice. "Why…?"

"I need to see you, because I need to explain..." Naruto's tone was serious, he spoke carefully, "And I own it to you to give you a proper explanation."

"Why do you feel the need to explain  _now_? Haven't you tortured me enough?" Sasuke's voice was hesitant, strained. He casted his eyes on the blade that was dropped on the floor.  _He was so close… so close…_

"Meet me at the roof after school. I will wait for you until you come." And then Naruto hung up.

_This has got to be a trick or something._

Something boiled beneath his skin, he didn't notice it at first, but as his mind moved to reflect on all that had happened in the past month, he realized that the one who deserved to die was not him—it was Naruto.

He hated that bastard.

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**I Want to See You**

* * *

Afternoon had turned to night; the sun rose and had set.

Naruto waited, and Sasuke did not show up.

Sasuke had brushed passed him in the hallways numerous times without so much as batting an eye at him, it was like he was invisible. But Naruto had deserved it. The dark-haired boy wanted to hurt Naruto deliberately for causing him so much pain.  _No, not nearly enough for a revenge._

There was a certain point between Sasuke's kitchen suicide attempt and after Naruto's phone call that had him snapped. His stages of grief was gone and had since been replaced by anger. The way his eyes narrowed in class at the teacher, or the way he threw words at his brother had them question his sanity. He changed overnight,  _almost_... The usual mallow and forlorn Uchiha had changed into a rage machine in the short span of a few days. And also, he took up smoking. Itachi wanted him to go to the doctor's appointment, but Sasuke had spat at him and left the house, slamming the door.

And Naruto continued to wait for Sasuke at the rooftop everyday after school without fail.

Naruto kept looking at him in class and he hated it. Neither of them smiled.

"Hey, Sasuke. I just wanted to talk to you, if you would let me explain..."

Naruto had followed him to the bathroom and slammed the door shut before anyone could get in. He locked it behind him.

Sasuke said nothing but did his business at the urinal and smoked, then, discarding it in the urinal, ready to leave. "If you don't want to die, move."

"When did you start smoking?" Naruto reached out for Sasuke's cigarette, about to yank it out from his mouth when he was suddenly slammed against the door. Naruto yelped as both his wrist was grabbed and held above his head. He struggled but Sasuke held on tight. He would not let Naruto go. Sasuke kneed him in the stomach. Naruto groaned.

That'd felt good, the way Naruto's stomach connected with his knee. Sasuke crouched deathly close to his face as he spoke. "So you, want to talk to me? Oh, I see…" He bent down to lick his cheek, slowly, from his chin to his cheek to the corner of his big blue eye, relishing the shiver that touched the tip of his tongue, the ashes from his cigarette fell onto Naruto's face. Naruto, still in pain, had muttered nothing but his discontent with the taller boy. "Talk, like this?"

Sasuke breath was damp, the way it dragged full of weights at the lump of his throat. Naruto swallowed.

"Sasuke." Naruto tried to keep calm. "I'm going to continue to wait for you after school at the roof until you're ready to hear me out." Naruto managed to speak through the pain on his stomach and pushed Sasuke back.

Sasuke smirked and gestured for Naruto to take a hike with the waving signal of his middle finger.

Word got around quickly that the new student that Naruto was trying to bully had gained a back bone.

Instead of avoiding Naruto so to disprove the rumor of what people suspected of his preference, he got in Naruto's face whenever he could, deliberately touching him and making sexual remarks about his body, especially when everybody was present. Sasuke loved making a scene. It served Naruto right to mess with him.

"I wonder what your nipples taste like." Sasuke caught Naruto off guard in the hallways when he grabbed his neck and slammed him up against the lockers. The dominance felt good beneath his palm. Twice, he slammed Naruto's head against the lockers again, harder the second time. A crowd gathered as they watch the new student bully the delinquent that had been giving their school a bad rep. Sasuke moved his hands up and scratched at Naruto's right nipple through his shirt. "Come on baby, tell me I'm just your  _toy_. Tell me. I dare ya." His voice was full of poison.

"Hnnn!" Naruto tried to pry his hand from around his neck. It was hard to breath. He struggled against Sasuke's sudden attack.

"What? Was that good?" Sasuke pushed back and pinched his left nipple this time.

"Ah! Stop… Sasuke!" Naruto pushed him off as he fell to the ground on his knees, catching much needed breath. He tried to get up and run away, Sasuke grabbed his ankle. He tripped and fell but managed to kick Sasuke in the face with his other foot as Sasuke was forced to let him go. The crowd parted, Sasuke chased after him and he ran.

Naruto didn't know why he had ran when he could have just fought the bastard instead. In the last couple of days, though Sasuke's personality had grown less and less like his old self, his body remained to be a par lower than Naruto's muscular build. Naruto could have thrown in a punch or two to end the fight. He knew he could have beaten Sasuke up without as much as breaking out into an all out fight. Some part of him wanted Sasuke to take his revenge on him though, to hit him, to slam him up against the lockers again. He had no rights to fight back.

He ran and Sasuke chased, up and down flights of stairs until Naruto finally stopped at the mouth of a descending staircase when he turned around to see a furious Sasuke stalking at him with a punch. Naruto dodged his head just in time for Sasuke's punch to land in the air next to his left ear. The forward momentum drove his body forward, fist swiping in the air. Sasuke took a step forward to balance himself but tripped on Naruto's foot.

Everything played out in slow motion as Sasuke's fist flew right by the empty air by Naruto's head. Sasuke fell forward as his toe connected with Naruto's sneakers. This scene was all too familiar.

_Naruto saw flashbacks of Menma tripping over the pencils on his table and falling backwards. Naruto's hand reached out in one moment, and missed in the other. The horrific look in Menma's blue eyes as he fell backwards into the open window. The tear-filled way that he had called out to his brother… the way he screamed his brother's name but to no avail…_

Sasuke fell forward towards the descending staircase, his hands struggled to find hold in front of him, but there was none. He gasped as he watched himself fall openly into the drop below.

Naruto reached for him, just like he did his brother.

The look of pure horror on Sasuke's face as he fell forward.

And just like his brother, he watched helplessly when his hand missed Sasuke's.

Sasuke's body twisted in mid-air as he continued to fall, his panicked dark eyes met with Naruto's blues, begging for salvation. His lips quivered and his eyes began to water. He reached out, but Naruto's hand missed his by just a hair. Maybe he would have his death wish after all. Maybe he was just not meant to die in the kitchen but at the school, in front of... Him…  _Oh Naruto…_

Naruto dove in with his body after his.

Pushing at his heels, Naruto instinctively jumped down towards Sasuke and grabbed his body within his arms.

He held onto his body for dear life as they rolled down the stairs at an unstoppable tumble.  _One step, two step, three steps, four…_

Naruto screamed as one sharp corner of the steps stabbed him right between two vertebrates. They rolled. His cellphone fell out of his pocket and was crushed to pieces between his hip bone and another step. A scream of pain escaped his lips. He moved his hand up quickly to shield the back of Sasuke's head. They rolled, almost to the bottom of the stairs, almost home free, but then, before he knew what was going on, Naruto's head was heading straight for the corner of the last step, and they connected. Crimson sprayed from Naruto's forehead and onto Sasuke's face.

A shock of horror washed over him as he watched Naruto's eyes rolled back and all the strength was knocked out of his body. They landed and Sasuke rolled out of Naruto's limp arms without much damage. Naruto's head was lying in a small puddle of blood dripping steadily from his brow.

Sasuke had wanted Naruto to die, he hated him. Oh god, how he hated that blonde demon that broke his heart, but as Naruto was lying in front of him bloody, he could think nothing but for Naruto to be ok.

He would sell both his arms and his left leg to the devil if Naruto could be saved.

Naruto lay motionless, his arm was twisted behind his back as his leg was caught in a weird position. Sasuke had to regain himself. Shakes wrecked his body as he gripped the ground for comfort, knees in a kneeling position, he hyperventilated in one hand that was brought up to his mouth. He wanted to say something, to do something, but not a single sound could come out, not a muscle in his body would budge.

Willing his body to move, he got on his hands and knees as he slowly crawled over to Naruto's body. His hands shook the motionless body and called his name. "Naru… Naruto… N-Naruto…?" Naruto groaned. At least he was still alive. They need help.

Sasuke yelled for help, but no one was around. It was afterschool and no one was at this remote part of the school. His voice echoed down the hallway, not a reply was given.

Soon, after a few minutes of calling for help, stealth footsteps from a distance were heard as the sound of feet slithered across the ground with a certain grace that could only be explored innately. They slipped and slide until the tall and pale man dropped down in front of the bloodied blonde in a sweep, his white lab coat floating behind him, carried by an air of cleverness that could only be matched with someone who was proficient in his practice. He propped Naruto's head up with his hand and ran his thumb over the cut above Naruto's brow. The bleeding seemed to have slowed, but Naruto was still not entirely conscious.

"You…" The man's voice was low and scaly, but authoritative. He addressed to the dark-haired student, who was crouching next to them both. "Help me carry the injured student to my lab, carefully, and quick…" The man tucked a piece of fallen hair behind his ear before reaching for the blonde.

"Sr-sir, why not the nurse's office?" Sasuke offered meekly. "Or the hospital?"

"Because she's off work, now hurry up and carry him before your friend falls into a coma! He probably has a mild concussion and I am proficient to help. It would be faster than waiting for the ambulance."

 _A coma._  Sasuke recalled that as what happened to him before, and it had turned his world upside down because of it. He wouldn't let that happen to Naruto.

 _A Friend?_  What a peculiar choice of word…

The two carefully lifted Naruto to the Biology Lab with instructions from the man, who was probably the biology class professor, seeing the way he was dressed. They had to make a few turns before reaching the lab, it was located at the far corner of the building in a remote part of the school, luckily, the same part that they were in. Sasuke never noticed the lab until now as it was in an older part of the same building.

The paint of the wall was peeling , and above, the flickering light glowed in an unattractive decaying yellow, a spider crawled carefully across the cracked forest-green tiled floor. It doesn't look like it was a lab used for regular class, as there were no rows of desk and chairs typical of a science class room. It remained respectably neat, even though it seemed that no one had bothered to clean the place, seeing how the place was stock full of the vintage science magazines and news prints that had dyed yellow with age.

The man in the lab coat pushed all the books and useless equipment off to the ground, glass beakers were smashed, test tubes broken easily. They carefully lay Naruto onto the steel lab table.

Sasuke sat on top of another lab table as he watched the expert hover over Naruto with various instruments while looking for other injuries.

The man put some ointment on the gush above his brow, and almost immediately, it stopped the bleeding. He sighed in relief, but it was not over yet. Reaching into his desk, fumbling around the messy drawer and taking some unidentifiable objects out, he held up a flashlight. Nudging the half-asleep boy, and commanded him to open his eyes as he flashed the bright light into his eyes. He groaned again in response to the light, it was too bright and his body was not ready to handle it. His stomach content boiled against his throat, he doubled over and threw up off the edge of the steel table.

"His pupils are fine, looks like he's only got a very mild concussion that would pose no threat to his health in the future." He wiped the sweat off his brows, his dark bangs pushed to the side. "Maybe he should skip school for a few days just in case. Oh, by the way, how rude of me," The man held out his hand towards Sasuke, his finger nails were an unusual shade of pastel purple. Sasuke looked at the hand, not sure what to do with it, as he slowly mimic the gesture and held his own hand in front. The man grabbed his hand and shook it. "Hi student, what is your name?" The man had an odd grin on his face that does not match with the rest of his face. The yellow light flickered behind him, emitting a glowing halo-like effect that surrounded the man's head, his long luscious dark hair falling in front of his chest like a river overflowing its bank.

Sasuke introduced himself and told him about his recent attendance at this school. He tried to let his hand drop from the shake, but the man in the lab coat would not let him, and squeezed his hand even tighter. "Sensei… You are a teacher here right? How should I thank you for saving my frien… umm, him."

"I'm your sensei's sensei!" He said excitedly, finally letting go of his hand, as excited as a person with a low raspy voice could. "A research professor that'd been sent to this school from the board to help with all the science teacher's lesson planning and research. Basically, you could say, my job is sitting here alone in this big old lab and play on the computer until someone needs me." He looked at Sasuke intently, his golden eyes reflected the cluelessness in Sasuke's dark ones, and tilted a smile. "I'm Professor Orochimaru, pleasure to meet you, Uchiha Sasuke-kun. Feel free to come visit me whenever you want." His voice was as scratchy as ever, like nails on a chalkboard. "Ya know, to hang." That creepy grin again that curved up on the professor's lips…

Naruto coughed as he sat up and rubbed his head, accidentally scrapping across the wound with his finger and winced out loud. "Fuc—Where am I?"

The professor explained what happened to Naruto as he sat listening with a throbbing headache. He glanced at Sasuke, who looked away promptly at an empty wall, and back to the professor again as he continued to explain to Naruto while bandaging up his injured head.

"Looks like it was just your head that had gotten hurt. You were lucky to have only a few nicks and bruises, but other than that you are fine. So what's your name, blondie? Hehehe…" Professor Orochimaru ruffled his hair with a free hand.

Naruto tried dodging his administrations, but his head was pounding too much to sway from it, so he just sat still while the newly acquitted professor played with his locks. It was mildly embarrassing, especially with Sasuke watching. He blushed, but controlled himself to not push the professor to the floor, the man just saved his life and all. "Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."

"Ahh, would that be the same Uzumaki as the  _Uzumaki Organization_? It's quite an unusual last name you have there, sonny."

"That's my father's business. He's the CEO." His voice flat, not amused. "And I'm not a  _sonny_."

"Oh I see, then it would be easy to contact him to take you home wouldn't it. Would you like me to give your parents a call to let them know what's going on? I also think you should skip school for a couple of days and rest up a littl…"

"Look professor," Naruto interrupted as he got up from sitting on the lab table , standing next to it, though wobbly at his feet, he stood up straight and spoke, slightly miffed. "I cannot thank you enough for helping me when in need, but no need to tell my parents. I'm never going to talk to them again, _at least for now_ , and I live by myself…" He adjusted his eyes on Sasuke as Sasuke look back at him nonchalantly, then huffed and looked away crossing his arms. "I skip school anyways, and I make my own rules. I will be going now, thank you."

Naruto grabbed his book bag from the chair as he walked out the lab door, leaning on one leg, and his body seemed to be tilting to one side. He grabbed the door frame for support.

"Naruto..."

He didn't need to turn around to find the owner of that voice. It was Sasuke's voice speaking his name, and the Hurt pierced like a thousand needles.

"Thanks…" There were too much that he wanted to say to Naruto but all he could managed was that one stupid word. His emotions were a mess. Naruto kept giving him reasons to love and hate him, and love and hate him…

Naruto took another step forward before pausing, he did not turn around, but only turned his head to the side, a shadow casting over his eyes, and said, "The roof." He walked away with his book bag slang over his shoulder, still limping and slouching a bit due to the fall. Naruto knew he was alright. A little fall would not hurt him even though it could have seriously injured the lighter-framed, Uchiha.

They watched as Naruto headed out the door. Sasuke knew where Naruto was heading.

The professor called out after him, "Well don't be a stranger. If you felt like you need a full body check up, I'll be right here, Blondie."

Sasuke noted that the Professor's odd cheerfulness wrenched a knot in his stomach.

Professor Orochimaru shrugged as he sat down in his computer chair and typed into his computer. "Well, I'm just glad he is alright, your friend there… He's your friend, right?"

Sasuke did not answer him.

Naruto looked back down the empty hallway, hoping Sasuke would have followed him, but nobody was behind.

He flashed back to the fall.  _The way Sasuke looked him in the eyes and the fear that had washed over him. Sasuke's dark orbs begging at his to be saved and Naruto's body that'd immediately obeyed, falling under their command. And then, Sasuke was in his arms again, he held him protectively as they fell to an uncertain harm. He knew he would protect Sasuke, he must, as if his life was dependent on it. Sasuke could humiliate him in front of everybody and call him names, everything he deserved and some more._

 _But the moment their bodies touched, Naruto stopped thinking on how the world might turn for the next instant, but know that the person in his arms must not be harmed. He held him tight as they rolled, as the steps cracked his body. He'd deserved it._  Crack.  _He'd deserved it all._  Crack.

Naruto limped slowly, stopping at the restroom to wash his hands and the blood that had caked around his face. The lights were out in this restroom; the setting sun was the only light source that had lighten up the top part of the stalls. It was enough. He looked in the mirror. His tired eyes heavy with dark circles. He haven't had a good night sleep for more than a month, ever since that day when his parents made him kneel in front of Menma… That.  _Oh Menma, how I miss you…_  Tears threatened to form before he was conscious of it. Those thoughts were jerked out of his mind as he splashed the cool water over his face, careful to avoid the bandage around his head. It was refreshing indeed.

Slowly, holding himself against the wall, and with each heavy step, he ascended towards the roof. He wanted to be there one last time, wanted to remember Sasuke's kiss, Sasuke's touch, his smiles and everything they shared before discarding the idea forever. He knew he wouldn't be able to stop the thoughts of it for a while, but he must try, maybe, for his parents' sake, for Menma's sake, and for Sasuke's sake. If Sasuke did not want him anyways, he was but a fool trying to make an impossible situation plausible. It was laughable. He chuckled inwardly. What a dumb kid he was to fall in love.

Naruto arrived at the roof top, thinking that he will be alone to stir in his own thoughts, but there he was, dark eyes and careless hair blowing in the wind, he stood mesmerized in his gaze.

As the horizon began to fall from a dark orange into a static blue that was fading to dark, the early evening glow had claimed the darkened rooftop with an air of calmness. Sasuke had finally shown up.

He leaned forward with each step, absently, breathing out and inhaling. Sasuke stood, unwavered.

Naruto stopped short from Sasuke. They looked each other in his eyes for a few minutes where not a single word was passed between them.

"I want to speak to you" He finally spoke. The blonde's voice pricked at the root of his hair. So much hurt, so much pain. "I want to see you because I need to come clean to you… about my behavior, and also, about something else." Naruto's voice softened. "Will you listen?"

Sasuke kept silent.

"Sasuke, I'm a straight male, not bi, not gay. I like girls, and only girls. I lived all my life, and I only had feelings…all feelings, sexual feelings and what nots only for girls. I have problems in my life that I'm working through. I have memories of Menma that haunts me…" Naruto lowered his gaze to the floor for but a second, scenes from a month ago at Menma's grave flashed before his eyes before looking into Sasuke's eyes again, "I don't need to be reminded of them. I don't need confusion. I don't need complications. I don't need someone to love,  _ha_ , as a matter of fact, I don't think I need to dwell over someone emotionally or physically." Naruto paused, still keeping his eyes glued to Sasuke's.

Sasuke felt like he wanted to throw up everything he ate and everything he had eaten so far in his life. A vein in his head was throbbing against his brain, unwilling tears pooled behind his eyes. He felt he was beginning to break again and reached into his pocket for that lighter, for that cigarette…

"I'm a jerk that uses girls and then throw them away, and discard them when I don't need them anymore. The only reason that I wanted to look good was so that I could fuck more girls."

The tears that pooled behind Sasuke's eyes finally fell down his cheeks. He must remain to be in the disguise of the new student that bullied the delinquent, and crying was not on the to-do list. He fumbled in his pockets, but they weren't there.

"I wish I could think about you in the same way..."

More tears fell from Sasuke's eyes, wetting his cheek. He suddenly felt faint.

"So, I'm giving you a way out… It is better not to…get involve with me. And just live your life, as you were..."

Sasuke had buried his face behind both his hands, silently sobbing, "Naruto… I… I…"

"Just better to live your life, as you were… before you met me…"

"N-Naruto… wh-why? What?"

"I'm no good for you… And I'm going to hate myself more…"

"Please… don't say anymore…!" Sasuke heart sank, his tears fell freely next to his feet.

Naruto took a step forward, and another, and then another, until he was right in front of Sasuke within an arm's reach. "But, I am willing to hate myself, break myself of my old habits, and defy my parents' wish, because I can't help but to admit that I have fallen completely," Naruto's hand reached out to lift Sasuke's eyes to look into his, "desperately," Naruto's tears fell, "hopelessly, in love with you…" Naruto was weak after all, to his heart. The words fell out of his mouth without a second thought. If his parents and the world will disown him, then so be it.

"Naru…"

"If it is the only way to love you, I don't care if I am straight or gay or bi or whatever. Goddammit, I'm just simply in love with you, and I could careless what others think, what my parents think, what the world thinks, what your brother thinks, what I think... but only if you are willing to accept me. Sasuke, I'm not a good person, nor am I perfect. I hurt you. I have issues and traumas... And I will hurt you again…"

Sasuke slapped him right across the face and Naruto let him.

He turned his head to the side, refusing to look at Sasuke. He deserved every bit of hate from Sasuke, for the way he treated Sasuke the last month. He wanted Sasuke to skin him alive to atone for any and all of Sasuke's suffering because of him.

Sasuke back handed him again across another cheek. He deserved that too. But what he was not prepared for was what happened next."Fuck!" Attacking his lips with his own, Sasuke pried his lips open with all of his pent up emotions. "Fuck it, Naruto. I hate you!" He took a hold of Naruto's wrist, burying his nails with his grip, "Fuck!" and kissed the blonde as he traced his lips with his tongue. Something tasted salty, it was Naruto's tears. "God, Naruto… I fuckin' hate you!"

Sasuke sucked on Naruto's lips and the corner of his mouth, everywhere, his cheeks, anywhere, it doesn't matter. He didn't care and Naruto let him.

Naruto parted his lips, splayed for Sasuke to take advantage of if he so wanted to, and Sasuke kissed him hungrily, holding onto the back of Naruto's head and marring Naruto's wrist with his fingernails, digging deeper into his skin with each drop of his blood pulsating down his shaken vein. They kissed and held onto each other. They cried and kissed each other's tears away. They explored each other's lips, lingering on each other's scent. Naruto lean into his touch, and Sasuke bit back ferociously. Minutes passed by in the blink of an eye- an hr- they kissed impatiently, alternating from desperate dominance to slow and torturous submissions between bruised lips.

The roof was cold but the air between them was hot, they didn't even notice when a particularly strong gust of wind had knocked the door close.

The sound broke them out of their embrace as they looked at each other with their flushed and lustful faces. Naruto looked towards the door first.

He walked towards it, wanted to check for himself. Sasuke followed behind, trying hard to walk in a straight line with a burning erection between his legs.

They discovered that the door was locked from the inside.

Naruto pounded on the door and yelled for help, but had gotten no reply but the rumbling of the wind against it. It was locked. Dead bolted. Sealed.  _Fuck fuck_ _ **fuck**_ _._

Sasuke tried to kick it down but it didn't move in inch. They tried yelling again, but there was no answer. Not even Professor Orochimaru would be in this part of the building, far from his lab. It was nearly 7pm, and everyone had gone home, and even the custodial staff had gone home. It was not like there was anything they were supposed to take care of on the roof, all except these two trapped students in the middle of winter.

"Sasuke, crap crap  _crap_." Naruto paced around frantically, thinking of a plan. Sasuke stood still. As Naruto walked around in the area, he discovered a half opened utility closet. He sneezed. It was getting cold again. This might help. Gesturing for Sasuke to come to him, they entered the small space.

()-()-()-()

"Ok, this is great. We are trapped on the roof, in a closet, with no heat." Rubbing his hands together, he sat with his knees folded to his chest. "In the middle of winter."

"Do you have a better idea?" Naruto sat down next to him, then pointed to Sasuke's pocket. "What about you? Do you have a phone?"

Sasuke took out his phone, it was completely out of batteries and showed Naruto the black screen before shoving it in his pocket again.

"Ok, let's look in this closet, maybe we could find something we could use."

It was a tiny closet, but it was well-stocked for its size, mostly comprised of cleaning products and mops and brooms, and then Naruto found a flashlight and some batteries.

"Yes, we are in business." Searching around the closet with the flashlight, they found a crawl space behind the 5-gallon-sized floor cleaners. With the flashlight held firmly between his teeth, Naruto crawled in first, Sasuke following behind. It was clean enough with only a few empty cob webs. The crawl space was but the distance of an arm before they entered into a larger area. Naruto stood up, they were in a small room. He held the flashlight in his hand and shined it around; it was not decorated, but it was clean. A small tatami was folded in a corner; a newspaper was neatly folded on top. They looked at the date, it was 5 years ago, that meant that whoever whenever last visited this "hide out" was probably then. They both came up with theories about this place and had settled on the story that this space was discovered by a janitor and was made into a secret slacking spot for sleeping on the job.

Upon further inspection, and it was by Sasuke, a generic-looking switch sat connected in a messy pile of electrical wires, this fixture was probably homemade. They turned it on and a hum was heard. It was from below the floor, and almost instantly, they began to feel warm, just barely enough with their jackets on. The boiler must be below this room. This janitor had everything figured out!

Naruto spread out the tatami and a slip of paper fell out.

" _You can use it for breaks."_

That was it. Just one sentence with no name. So they were almost right, breaks were not the same as slacking right?

"I think that means we can use it, and I think we will have to, considering that we will most likely be spending the night here." Naruto stretched out on the dusty and old tatami and winked. "Come on, Sasuke, come to bed."

"Can I just jump off the roof?"

"Does that mean you have forgiven me?"

"Never, I will never forgive you." Sasuke huffed and turned his head, a smile sneaked between his closed lips.

Naruto pouted, "Come on," He cooed. "You can't stay angry at me after we kissed like animals for an hour right?"

A blush appeared across Sasuke's cheeks, but had kept his face away from the flashlight.

"I…I just don't know what happens now. What are we, or what should we be…?" Sasuke had sat down cross-legged while Naruto lean back into the tatami, staring at him.

"Sasuke, can we…ok, I like you… a lot, but it's going to be hard, like I said…"

"I don't mind hard."

"Let's just keep our relationship on the down low. I think we should act like we are just friends in front of everybody to avoid questions and stares."

"I can… agree to that…" Sasuke thought back on his behavior the last couple of days, it was like he'd gone crazy. "So, what are… we, if we are just friends in front of everybody. Perhaps, I'm not so good with defining this, as you know…"

He didn't immediately speak, but only looked at Sasuke from where he was propped up, from the tip of his toes to his knees, traveling up, pausing at his groin and smirking to himself inwardly, before stopping at his beautiful face, the way his hair fell over the side perfectly, obscured by the shadows. "Sasuke, I want you to be my boyfriend."

The blush across his face only grew more pronounced, as he struggled to breathe, "I…I guess that would be compliable…"

"I wish I could show you to the world, but, at least in school, let's keep it on the down low."

Sasuke agreed.

Naruto's eyes traveled to Sasuke's middle again and licked his lips. "Now that we are together, I want to know something. Have you ever, umm, in your memory… errr, how do I say this, had sex?"

An awkwardly long pause.

"Naruto… no, I don't think I had a memory as such…" He was embarrassed beyond words. "I don't know, but I don't think I'm ready yet…"

"Me neither… Especially with guys, how do you even do that?"

Sasuke nodded, refusing to let sound come out beyond his flushed face.

Naruto's gaze dropped to Sasuke's crotch again and looked back up at Sasuke. On hands and knees, he made his way slowly to where Sasuke was sitting. "I mean, we have to get used to the idea right?" Not waiting for Sasuke to answer, he attacked him with his lips again. Sasuke fell into submission to Naruto's tongue. His hands searched recklessly over Sasuke's body. Smooth hand over taunt abs, extracting pleasurable moans from his new boyfriend. Naruto smirked at that thought, content that Sasuke was finally in his arms.

They kissed, and Sasuke roamed his hands to Naruto's strong back, not pulsing even a second to take a breath. His fingers dug into his muscles, urging Naruto to kiss him harder, sucking at his mouth like he had never felt Naruto done before.

Naruto pulled away from him to rest for a second to take in the beautiful sight in front of him before reaching over to peel Sasuke's shirt off.

His two pink nipples stood at attention from the cold air that was immediately replaced by Naruto's hot mouth and his eager hand. His body bucked into the touch, wanting more. Naruto kissed his nipple, moving from one to the other, sucking and kissing, worshipping his body with his mouth in a silent prayer murmured above the over-sensitive buds.

Sasuke had never been so hard in his life, his erection straining to break free of his pants, when Naruto put a hand over the fabric, and rubbed it oh-so-slowly from the outside, tracing its shape from balls to head. Sasuke let out a throaty moan as he threw his head back. He was dripping thick with pre-cum and he knew it, and it became evident when his pants began to moisten at where his tip was.

"Sasuke, I want to see you." Sasuke swallowed the lump in his throat. "I want to see all of you, everything."

"I don't think I'm ready for… sex… I just can't bring myself… to do that…yet." He broke their kiss.

"No, I understand. It's just that, I want to see you. Is that … ok?"

"I… "

"Sasuke, I just want to understand your body right now, so that, well, so that I won't freak out when the time comes—for the both of us."

Sasuke nodded.

Taking the flashlight from the floor, Naruto held it in his left hand while pulling back to unfasten Sasuke's pants with the right. The button popped free as he worked on the zipper, the flashlight hover closer to the destination as Naruto tucked Sasuke's underwear down to reveal a well-endowed member being spotlighted. Naruto noted that it was about the same size as his own— _huge_ , a long, thick and meaty appendage. It twitched and produced a clear pearl of pre-cum. The pearl grew larger on the beet red head, until finally, when it could no longer hold its surface tension, slid down from the opening and pooled around the folds of his foreskin. He was uncut and beautiful. Naruto reached out a finger to touch the head as it vibrated and twitched under his finger. It was the first time Naruto had ever touched another male's private part perversely. He admitted that him and his friends might do that for shits and giggles, but it was never like this. Sasuke's hips shuddered and buckled into his small touch, his body begging, pleading for more of Naruto's warmth.

Naruto squeezed his head gently between two fingers as the head slip further out of the foreskin, opening the urethra wider for his viewing pleasure. His left hand almost dropped the flashlight. The way Sasuke's hole glistened under the light, slicked with pre cum, was truly a sight to behold.

Sasuke was flushed from head to toe. He couldn't move, but can only give in to Naruto's magical touches as his body was overly receptive to everything from him. He found the flashlight a rather erotic choice, it only further exposed his sex to Naruto's animalistic eyes that ate the pleasurable sight up. Naruto tucked gently, pulling his underwear further down to reveal his thick length under the spotlight.

Sasuke bucked into his fingers, wanting Naruto to expose him more. Naruto took no time to yank his underwear and pants to his ankle. In some aspect, it was more erotic than sex itself, the act was kinky, though Sasuke did not know the word, he gave into the act. He covered his chest with his arms while spreading his legs further apart. The flashlight traveled lower, Sasuke's opened legs shuddered at the joints of his hips, his pre-cum leaking profusely, having overflow his foreskin pool a long time ago, making the length of his cock nice and slick with the coating. Pre-cum continued to rush out through the enlarged urethra, coming out in globs, one big fat pearly drop after another.

Sasuke moved his hands to cover his middle coyly, fingers obscuring his pubic hair as they shivered down to cover his head from Naruto's deliciously perversed viewing. He propped his hips high as he contracted his ankles towards his bottom, spreading his thighs widely in another angle.

Naruto have never seen anything so erotic in his life, his own member threatening to spring free from its constrains. He was so goddamn horny his vision was starting to blur. His free hand reached down to give Sasuke's balls a firm squeeze.

The Uchiha cried out and moaned into the damped air above them. "Mmmh! Naruto…!"

He wanted to inspect every inch of his partner's sex. Crouching down and shinning a light at his balls, he marveled at the way it shriveled and wrinkled under his touch, and released again as Sasuke moaned loudly, the clear liquid, dripping down from the bottom of his balls and onto the floor.

He flipped Sasuke over on his hands and knees when he moaned again, catching him off guard.

"Sasuke, baby," His voice was sweet and endearing, "Please spread your legs for me.

Sasuke obeyed. He was horny as fuck and would do almost anything Naruto asked him to.

His knees came apart slowly as he was on all fours.

"Now stick your butt out, put your elbows on the ground."

Again, Sasuke obeyed. His pre-cum fell in a small stream to the ground, never stopping. Sasuke knew he was close to his release. Everything was erotic, and Naruto touches were like a lusty fire burning, ripping at his being, finger tips at his sweat-drenched skin as they danced across it to their next destination.

Naruto pried Sasuke's cheeks open with two fingers, spreading his puckered flesh to his ravenous eyes. The small hole contracted and released, contracted and released, so cute and small under the invading white light. The ring of flesh blushed pink as Naruto breathed at it. That pushed Sasuke over the top as he came, spilling his seeds in a wave onto the floor, covering it with its thick glob. His body struggled to hold his butt up for Naruto to see as it shivered with shameless delights.

Naruto had to drop his flashlight to free his erection from his pants. It was too much, He couldn't even breathe. His dick twitched in excitement, all ten and a half inches of the fun stick leaking and spilling in streams from his head, but he had to control himself from just straight up ramming it into Sasuke's man pussy.

He managed to pick up the flashlight again and shined it directly at Sasuke's hole. Not satisfied with the view, he tried to stretch the ring out from the outside, spreading it further apart so that he could see Sasuke's insides too, but he was too small and tight.

His breath was staggered as he was trying to control his ass from slamming into Naruto's head and face fucking him backwards. And then Naruto pushed two fingers inside him.

Sasuke yapped in pain as his body tried to move away from the administrations, but was held back by Naruto's as he kept them curled inside—before prying his fingers to open in a 'V', in a tight fuck hole stretch.

"Sasuke," coherent words had managed to spill between his lips, "you are a virgin…" He knew already, but now Naruto was sure from feeling him from the inside.

Sasuke moaned in pleasure from the violation. He discovered something about his body today, it was that he gets off from being violated and looked upon as an object, but only if he had allowed it. Naruto scissored him a couple of times, his ringed-flesh refusing to succumb to being less taunt.

Sasuke came again, horny off being stretched and probed, feeling every curve of Naruto's naughty digits as he opened him up again with a "V". Naruto held it there, Sasuke came in waves this time, body rocking back and forth into his strained knees on the ground. He shone a light down his baby's hole, Sasuke's soft insides slick and pink with pleasure. Naruto could see his insides contracted and released again, so beautiful and flushed, the soft veins and wrinkles that he could barely see, oh , it was almost too innocent and sinful for his lusty eyes to feast upon. He can't wait to fuck this to the ground one day. Oh god, one day, he will fuck this ass so hard they'll reach China simultaneously when he orgasm.

Sasuke came one last time as he released all his seeds in the small puddle on the ground, squeezing every last drop out from his straining and shaking sacks, and yelled when he came, "Aah Aahh Ahhh!"Falling in his own semen, panting, his chest drenched with his own sticky seeds.

Naruto was too hard for words, without further instructions, he pumped himself furiously, rubbing from his balls to the thick heaving veins on the side to his tip and back down again. His dick slick with his pre-cum. It was not fair that Sasuke came so many times, he needed to make this count. He pumped and he pumped, building up pressure from his balls as Sasuke lay there, in a half dazed state, jerking off to the hot view of Sasuke lying in a paradise of his own cum pool. His head was red hot and large, begging for his owner to release him of his river of pleasure juice. Focusing on the head, he pumped and fisted tighter, faster, until the pressure have reached its maximum gauge, and suddenly, releasing. His cum exploded from his urethra long and plentiful, aimed directly at Sasuke's entrance and lower cheeks and his back, covering all in his love fluids.

Seeing Sasuke's delicious body covered entirely by cum had turned him instantly back on again and given a few more hard pumps, Naruto grabbed Sasuke's face from off the floor and came on it, spraying him with heavy streams of cum that deflected off his face and into his hair, without much of a warning. Sasuke had only managed to open his mouth just in time, his pink tongue slipping out meekly, to take in some of the sweet drops before falling asleep in bliss from his earlier release. Naruto wanted his lover to be bathed in their love tonight, from head and soaked to the toe.

He collapsed on Sasuke's already spent body as they rolled off on the tatami to sleep, the stench of musk hung heavily in the air as a lullaby. The boyfriends slept in each other's arms, still celibate to men, tangled in limps and embodied their new love for each other, bound by the sultry liquification of their virginal ecstasy.

* * *

_**To Be Continued…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: yay or nay? Please tell me what you think in the review!? I need some encouragement! T_T hahaha~~


	14. The Perfect Balance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Important chapter] With Sasuke gone from his ever-protective side again, Itachi's search had led him to Ororchimaru. A past secret is unearthed as an important part of the Transportation Jutsu will be revealed. What are the rules to keep the world in balance? Find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First of all, I want to thank everyone again for reading this! Makes my heart flutter with happiness that my writing is not going into a black hole! ToT *blows kisses*
> 
> This chapter contains Spoilers up to shippuden episode [347] with a few twists of my own. Also to note, in this fic, Madara is the one that does the Transportation jutsu as his specialty.
> 
> OH, and before I forget, LEMON WARNING, well Itachi haven't gotten penetrated (yet :P), but let me remind you that there will be Madara x Itachi in this one, and oh for the love of god, pplleeaasse imagine Madara as his striking young-self instead of the white hair and wrinkly version in epd 345(?). I mean, unless his wrinkly old self pleases your libido, then, uhhh, I guess, go right ahead :D
> 
> OH AND, a new fic announcement at the end of the chapter!

 

If there was one thing he hated about himself, amongst other more diabolical things, was that he cannot control himself from being a mother hen to his little brother.

It went straight to voicemail when he called, indicating that the phone was either off or out of batteries.

Itachi heaved out a long sigh, fingers kneading the tension between his furrowed brows, headache pulled at his face all the way back to his inner-ear. It was splitting his head in two.  _Not again, no._  Sasuke kept disappearing to some place where he couldn't keep on a short leash, even though he did not want to result to that, he might need to have an alternative ready.

In his mind, Sasuke will always be the pleasant, smiling and laughing, energetic eight year old that bounced around behind his mother in the kitchen while she cooks— _well, until he'd killed them all, of course..._  Not a day that passed where he could stop reminding himself that he was at the fault of everything, all of the suffering that caused Sasuke and the never-ceasing need to punish himself…

He cursed under his breath. Fingers punching in the school's number fiercely, he was connected to the principal's office where an answering machine picked up the call, then— _two, three, four…_  all the times that Itachi had called until the fifth time, an annoyed voice was received on the other end.

"This is Karin, Principal Sarutobi's assistance. The school is now closed, so if it's  _not_ an emergency, sir or madam, then please call again tomorr—"

"I kept calling. So, yeah, this is an emergency, so listen up."

Upon receiving the hint that this was the  _oh-so-gorgeous-deliciously-beautiful-make-me-squirm-in-my-panties_  Uchiha's older brother looking for him, she did all she could to locate his  _poor_  little brother in the school, putting Itachi on hold and dialing for his homeroom teacher and asking custodial staff near by. She would of course be on her best behavior instead of slacking off.

After a few minutes of putting a more-than-impatient older brother on hold, she came back with a click on the receiver. "Itachi-san, your little brother, Sasuke was still in the school the last time we heard. I got word from a student that the delinquent, Uzumaki Naruto was picking on him! How dare that boy! Naruto slammed your brother up against the lockers and tried to throw him off the stairs! Good thing, your little brother—oh, who is  _such_  a  _fighter_! — threw him off the stair instead! I heard from our resident Professor Orochimaru, himself, that he bandaged the nasty kid, Naru—"

 _So, he's met Naruto after all…_  Itachi smirked at that, and suddenly realized that the friend that his brother had ran off to was probably him.

It would make sense.

Though different worlds have discrepancies, they will also develop in  _close to_  a parallel way, each giving and receiving like a wave length, always in perfect balance where if one wave drops, the other must...  _Madara had taught him that…And he had named it_ —

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**The Perfect Balance**

* * *

"What did you say? Professor who?" Cutting in the middle of her sentence, Karin was caught off guard by the disgruntled tone of his voice. He enunciated each word slowly like he was talking to a five year old. "Did… you say… Orochimaru?"

His voice was an icy-chill up her shaking spine that made her skin crawled, she swallowed.

"Connect me to his office, now, please," Itachi's snared, his teeth clutched, breath caught in his nostrils. "would you be so kindly—"

_A few moments later…_

"Hello! This is Professor Orochimaru's office! Who am I speaking to?" His voice was cheerful, too overly cheerful, throat vibrating with the raspy-vibrato, an odd combination, threw Itachi off. "This is Orochimaru."

Itachi related his concerns honestly while trying to gather in his mind about the identity of  _this_ Orochimaru.  _But which one is he?_

Itachi could not gather much as of yet, as the Professor talked on and on about Naruto's injury and how his brother Sasuke had called for help, and the professor, seeing that the older brother on the other line kept asking him questions about his work and ambitions, had also added in a bonus physics lecture for good measures, not in a hurry.

The Professor smirked behind his thin pale lips. He had all the time in the world, he might as well entertain the older brother for now… He thought, as his fingers danced across the keyboard in preparations for his thesis, while fixing the phone between his ear and shoulder.  _God_ , he loves science and would love for an audience. He was glad that the older Uchiha had decided to stay on the line with so many questions!

"—so then, the two, Naruto and your brother left my office, but regarding this theory of mine that—" Orochimaru continued. This could go on.

_No, that wouldn't do…_

Refusing to stay on the phone for another excruciating waking moment, Itachi hung up on the Professor when he was still going on about a new theory he was studying on, something about altering the fetus at mitosis with steam cells and free-flowing electronic negative positive ion cells…  _blah blah blah,_  science jargon  _blah blah._

Not having all the time in the world to discover new theories with the professor, he decided to act upon his initial  _mother-hen impulse_  to look for Sasuke himself.

"Hello? Hello? Are you still on the line?" Guess the older brother had hung up on him, like the others. Sighing, he picked up a pen and drew a tally on a post-it note next to his computer:  _Fourteen._ It was the fourteenth time this week that a parent/guardian had hung up on him while he was in the heat of speaking about science. When will they appreciate?

()-()-()-()

He slammed the door to the taxi a little too hard, that brought upon a frown and a sideway glance to look in the side mirror as the driver sped off with dust rolling behind the wheels.

Itachi had handed the driver an undisclosed amount of cash held in a wad with a rubber band before uttering in a dangerous tone from his lips, "Drive."

His finger brushed through the short silky locks, missing his once-lengthen hair, and looked out the window where the scenery blurred together in a clash of lights overlooking the bridge on the other side of the bank, and reflecting on the dark waters beneath. The engine roared as the speed increased on a longer stretch of the highway sparse with other vehicles on the road. They sped past the slower ones above the speed limit after he had nodded for the driver to increase in speed as they exchange glances through the rearview mirror.

His eyes drifted to focus on a non-particular spot of blinking red and white light that was far away. He swore that the lights were spinning on a wheel, he breathed through his teeth as he focused on them again, the lights returned to their steady blink. His heart beat faster, with each new scene that past him by in a haunting blur, repeating— colors— suddenly increased in saturation by the tenfold, memories overlapping. A white noise fine-tuning in his ears as it increased in vibration, turning, spinning—

He blinked,  _Madara's right hand on the wheel, left hand on Itachi's thigh_ , and blinked again, his own hand on his thigh, clutched in a white-knuckled fist so hard it was burning through his palm. He blinked, looking out the window where the thousands of night lights passed him by, and blinked,  _Madara's reflection looking back at him whispering in his deep, ominous presence,_   _"Itachi, what is the reason that you seek me?"_

_It was a night just like this one, dark but cloudless, colorful, but soundless. Madara sped down the high way with Itachi's piercing, burning eyes gazing into his equally dark ones, giving everything, demanding answers…_

"Of all the plethora of worlds to fold into, you _had_  to choose this one." The way that Madara had chosen to express himself was always a sarcastic remnant of his real intend. "And stupidly you are, to bring more than a few…  _unwelcomed_  visitors." He laughed a sarcastic laugh, while slowly shaking his head from side to side. It was too funny. He wanted Itachi to be mocked.

"Madara, you are to help me with my brother's recuperation."Ignoring the egotistical case that had taken pleasure over his unfamiliarity, Itachi took a deep breath before he continued, "Sasuke… He is in the hospital—comatose—for a while now… If I cannot pay his bills… he will be dislodged from the hospital, even though his chances of waking up will be cut in half—to if he stayed under the care of medical professionals..."

"And why should that be of my concern, Itachi-chan?" There was an eerily unfamiliar playfulness in his voice that did not sit with well with Itachi.

"Because he's an Uchiha! We—You, me, Sasuke—we are the absolute lasts. That's why you will help Sasuke, be—because…" He winced and struggled to spit the words from his lips, but they were like spikes that was hooked to the inside of his mouth, "…we killed them… all of them, and I… I just can't… My brother, Sasuke, he knew nothing. You _must_  help Sasuke."

Running his fingers through his long gelled spiked mane, he sniffled a laugh that was painful in Itachi's ears as the sounds of it were trapped tightly in the car. And then he stopped. "If that was the case…" A smirk appeared from his lips.

"What do you mean?" Itachi's voice was pointed, stern.

"Do you, really, in your impeccably one-track mind, to think that we were the only Uchihas alive? Did you ever stop and think that only you, the genius prodigy Uchiha, can copy the ability to fold across parallel worlds…"

Itachi's silence urged him to continue.

"We've come this far, I will let you know. I was feared in history as the only one who can match the late Hashirama _, bless his soul_ , not really,  _that prick,_  but I am not as cold-hearted as they say… I will tell you what you need to know. Our lives are very different now… To start us off, the sandaime had two sets of records in regards to the Uchiha Massacre, one was what the public knew, and the other… was dubbed the  _Secret Records_." Itachi's ears perked. "They were full of holes that cannot be filled: bodies were missing, bloody imprints on the walls with no bodies, safes and secret underground vaults opened and claimed… First, they suspected that some Uchihas had run away. Danzo,  _I hate that bastard too_ , had ordered the Black Anbu Ops talented in searching for Missing Nins to focus their chakra on the missing members, but nothing was returned. They'd since closed the files… Where… I mean, now, given all that you knew so far… Where do you think the rest of the survived Uchihas went?"

"I was sure I killed them all, so stop your lies." Itachi's voice was hard, with absolution. "We were partners, and I knew no one could escape on your watch, unless…" His eyes reflected hard into Madara's own. "You had allowed them to live."

"Bravo bravo, Itachi-chan!" A slow clap onto his thigh while keeping the other hand on the steering wheel, Madara signaled and wheeled his car towards the exit ramp and onto another highway. "Now, we are finally getting somewhere…"

" _Why are you not dead from hundreds of years ago? What is the secret to the Transportation Jutsu?"_  Itachi's mind raced through all these questions. He must know, he must pry it out of Madara no matter what it takes. _"What about the other Uchihas? What about the-"_

"Itachi, I'm well aware that you need answers and you need money, both things that I have and can give you, if we have a deal."

"And that is…"

"I will give you money, all that you need and more, to help your… _sick_  little brother..."Madara had never liked the kid. " _Tsk_."

Itachi's expression changed from an angry frustrated one to one filled with pleasant shock, "I concur."

"But, you must promise me that you will abide by the rules that I'm about to give you, because if you screw up, there will be an unbalance in the wide-spreading ripple… well,  _more_  unbalances…" Madara moved one hand in front of him and moved it like a wave. "First, you need to tell me everything that happened, from beginning to end."

Itachi comply, with the best of his articulate abilities, told Madara everything, from the moment that he had executed the jutsu, to the meeting with the  _Hand_ , to falling from the sky, to Sasuke's current situation.

And then Madara continued to explain. "There are worlds—Imagine them all stalked up like a ream of paper in a spiral, some thicker and different color and material than others, some might even be translucent, so thin that it resembles air—  _the spirit world they called that_ —but that's not what this story is about today. Today, our story is about the two worlds that are the closest to each other in the grand scheme of this  _ream._  Close enough to travel to with special talents like ours, and close enough to cause a rippling and daunting effect in its balance if not treated with care. So the first rule is:  _Do Not Disturb the World in Balance_. Something you already recklessly did by bringing not only yourself, but two others into this world creating three ripples."

The younger Uchiha turned his head away, embarrassed that he was ignorant of the rules.

"The good news is,  _Nature_ , which is the force that governs  _that_  particular world, will act as a filter and fix most discrepancies before it affects the immediate world in an irreparable way—in Naruto's case, he was on his way here and was sucked in through another portal back in time, from what it seems. He was born to this earth, in the best case scenario. And in case you are wondering if I will try to kidnap him for his  _bijyuu_ , no, he is useless here. The Nature of this world does not allow demons to exist and ninjutsu to be executed— well,  _that_  easily, but, not like it couldn't happen, of course…"

"Does that mean I could still use my sharingan?"

"Not in normal circumstances, no. You will be trying to call up an ability, a character, that doesn't exist in this world. You won't be able to call up your old abilities unless Nature allows …" A slow hum vibrated in Madara's throat, "And regarding Sasuke, something doesn't fit in with the story that you told me… Because the Right Hand of Universal Equilibrium cannot lie…"

"What do you mean?"

"You wished for your brother to have the perfect life and be happy, but he's stuck in a coma at a hospital…" Sensitive to Itachi's anxiety that was written plainly on his face, he changed the topic, "Or I could be wrong, maybe the deal just hasn't been completed yet…"

Five minutes, the time it was for Itachi to be in complete silence. He thought, formulating questions for the one next to him. "How can you move between worlds and dimensions so easily? How do I know I— _we_ are not in danger?"

Madara taps on the steering wheel with a finger, softly to the music playing in the background on the radio, and said, "The only way I can explain is that an anchor of myself was made in the—for discussion sakes, let's call it the  _Old World_ , by chance, before learning about the Rules. A part of me, my cells were integrated into another Uchiha—Uchiha Obito."

"Kakashi's teammate who died honorably in combat…"

"Except that he didn't die, and he somehow acted as my anchor just by existing in the  _Old World_ , therefore, a Balance was formed—I found out that I could always call out to my anchor and swim back and forth, and between worlds and even between time safely—as long as I follow the Rules, to leave the  _Old World_  before he dies."

"Is that why you lived for that long… you should have been dead hundreds of years ago."

"Well, part of it, I suppose…" Leaving out the large chunk about the Gedo Statue amongst other mind-numbing things. "And you are not in danger. This, we should call it,  _New World_ , is a much safer place than the one we parted from. So you should be glad that you are stuck here instead of the layer above this one where the nine-tailed fox demon king had enslaved all the Uchihas and made them into pleasure slaves like a bad porno. A much better alternative, won't you say?" (*1)

Itachi sure had learned a lot today, and something tells him that there will be more to take in. He was having a hard time remembering all that as it was.

"And what about the other Uchihas, the ones that escaped? Why did you save them?"

Another laugh escape this throat as he swerved to exit the highway. He seemed to have a destination in mind. "We are just getting started, how about some wine at the infamous  _Mansion Madara_?" His left hand dropped from the steering wheel and onto the shifting gears, and then made its way to hover above Itachi's thigh before dropping on top of it in a firm squeeze. Itachi gasped, but did not push his hand away. "The night is young…"

"Everything is but a small price to pay for knowledge and stability." His thumb rubbed a circle on Itachi's thigh before retreating back to the steering wheel. "Don't you think?"

That touch was questionable and it did not sit well with him. Itachi struggled to breathe, but through years of practice as a ninja, he had learned to keep his breathing and heart beats in check. He must keep calm,  _that's right_ , he could keep calm, and think rationally, act rationally…

The car sped off towards a small hill.

They drove up, roads narrowed and curved, framed by a thickening canopy of trees. Dirt and dust spinning behind the wheel as the car made perfect turns along impossible corners with only the aid from the moon shone brightly between cascading shadows, car swaying on the road, a full moon in a perfect sphere.

It was unreal. The road up the hill was actually a driveway all along, leading up to a white magnificent front gate that opened with a slow ominous squeak on its hinges as Madara pressed a button next to his gears. They drove up another driveway that led them up to a marble white, Victorian style-esque, two-story mansion. Columns supported the balcony that served as an awning for the front entrance that were raised by steps; lawns green and well-kept.

Itachi could only open his mouth in awe as he walked in, feeling small to the presence of the house, and Madara, who'd stood up now to his astonishing seven feet plus in height, clad in a long leather jacket. With grace so cool yet delicate, he took off his jacket and threw it at a servant who caught it smoothly as if that was his only job that he'd practiced for years. A several others came out to bow and greet him as he led Itachi up the center staircase that splits in two at the half-way point each leading up to the second floor.

"The finest wine, for my guest, in my study." He ordered, a maid servant bowed deeply as she rushed to the kitchen in her flat shoes, not a noise was made.

They had been in the study for nearly ten minutes, Itachi sat impatiently close to the edge of the seat, while Madara shuffled through a dusty collection of vinyl records.

A knocked on the door as the door creaked open to let in a butler pushing a silver cart with a bottle of wine and two glasses. He poured the wine into the two glasses and left, but not before bowing and closing the door so carefully and gracefully.

A  _trill_ as light as a feather penetrated the air of the room as Madara turned around, his black attire from head to toe, swaying, "Oh yes… Antonio Salieri, the rival who lived a life of dysphoria— who went mad with no recognition, the anti-hero to Mozart's astonishing tale. How wonderfully, extraordinary— _painful_ —his  _liberetti_ , his music, written in tears…"

"Why am I here?" Itachi stood up, half turning to walk out of the door with his fists clutched.

"To have some wine… and discuss the conditions of our deal, which I think will satisfy you."

"I need money for Sasuk—"

"—Of course, and I have plenty."

"How…?"

"A business. A private enterprise specialized… in human trafficking."

"Which means…?" Itachi hated asking Madara so many question like he was a retard, and can only furrowed his brow in contemplation.

"I sell humans to other humans for sexual pleasures, my dearest Itachi-chan." He walked over and sat down on the sofa next to Itachi. His gaze was hard, questioning, Itachi followed, and sat down across from him, looking intensely into his eyes, searching for all the scraps of truths. "In this world, they call the likes of me—A pimp." He shrugged. "Respectable…" A pause. "Enough."

Madara shifted in the sofa and lean back, one hand tossed up with the cupped wine in hand, and took a sip. A sigh a satisfaction escaped as he rolled the taste of wine on his tongue. "You want the money for your poor little brother?" The other hand dropped to pat the bulging shape that was taking form in the front of his pants. "Put that sweet mouth of yours to work."

()-()-()-()

Itachi's tongue slid up the length of Madara's cock, from balls to tip, so excruciatingly slow and wet, the way Madara had ordered him to do so. The music of the opera were not forgotten, playing in the background, his tongue dancing up and down the stage that was Madara's length as the octave rose. He flicked the tip of his tongue at the slit, tasting the salty flavor of pre cum and wanting to gag, but continued to suck on the head as Madara's rough fingers stroked the top of his bare back, urging him to go on. Itachi's mind was a blank, only focusing on paying his business partner with his mouth, never letting the details of the transaction weaver from his thoughts.

Madara's dick was thick and heavy with veins that ran up its velvety sides; the head was the size of a small child's fist while the shaft being the child's arm. Itachi sucked, stretching the side of his mouth to taunt, barely being able to fit in such a huge gland in his cavities.

His mind was blank and could think on nothing but Sasuke.  _His little brother in his arms, in the hospital—in Naruto's arms, screaming crying, bleeding_ —he sucked harder, bobbing his head up and down and swirling around the head with his tongue, ignoring Madara's shuddering hips that thrusts up, impaling and hitting the back of his throat, the strength of it almost knocking his kneeling form back from between the man's thighs.

Madara held on to his head to keep him from shuddering away in reflex. The crotch of Madara's pants was wet with saliva, as Itachi's head was held against his gag reflex to take in his well-lengthen cock in his mouth, inch by agonizing inch. The rough calloused fingers went deep into his long tresses, pulling his head up and slamming it down, every time, chocking at the size of his endowment.

His mouth was painful, jaw wanting to clamp down and close, but was held open while he was slammed until the tip hit the back of his throat. Tears caused by the chocking streamed from his eyes and dripped onto the older Uchiha's crotch, his fine curled hair caught the surface tension of the tears as they stayed on like droplets of crystal, decorating his well-trimmed little black forest like Christmas lights.

And Itachi could think of nothing but Sasuke, the money that would go towards his hospital bills, and the possibility of seeing his little brother smile again. Sasuke will finally be happy, in a world free of danger, that smile that Itachi missed so much— _Itachi's arms were opened wide as a six years old Sasuke ran towards him, full of love and trust and the utmost admiration for his most beloved older brother. Knowing full well that once his older brother would hold him in his arms, tossing and spinning his legs in the air, all the troubles in the world would go away. The little brother that trusted him, loved him, and followed him everywhere like a shadow. Sasuke being alive. Sasuke's smile, his laughter… What he would give to see Sasuke smile again… What he would do_ —The engorged gland further ripped the side of his mouth, blood began to seep from the broken taunt skin threatening to break apart.

With a few hard thrust and pull, Madara came in waves, flooding Itachi's throat and his mouth—too much for the younger Uchiha to hold in his sore mouth as it overflow from between his lips, but not before Madara released a new tidal wave of cum load aimed at his face and hair.

Before Itachi had time to spit out his cum, the older Uchiha had placed a hand over his broken lips and commanded, "swallow everything."

Madara took his time looking at Itachi's face, and marveled the way his own seeds had covered the beautiful face of the deadliest genjutsu user in recent history, the way his seeds rolled off Itachi's pointed chin and onto the floor in a splat; hair glazed with his own juices.  _Marked._

"Am I done here?" Wiping at his own lips, Itachi leaned on one shaking knee while trying to get up with the other.

"My dick is not going to clean itself." Madara said matter-of-factly. "Lick it clean."

Swallowing his pride and everything else Madara had shoved into his mouth, the younger Uchiha got back on his knees again and began working on cleaning the still half-erected organ with his tongue. Every bit of it tasted disgusting, but it suits him, he was disgusting and that's what disgusting people do. For what Itachi had done— if this was his retribution, he'd gotten off easy.

After the session, Itachi had excused himself to the bathroom. He must absolutely positively get that taste out of his mouth. Kneeling in front of the toilet, he stuck a finger far up into his throat, hitting his gag reflex again and again until he threw up all of Madara's seeds. That'd made it worse because he tasted that horrid thing in his mouth again. He was beyond tears, years ago, so he just sat looking into the toilet bowl dumbfounded. He flushed the toilet, never wanting to see it again.

His hand reached for the door knob and pulled it open, Madara was already waiting for him to come back.

"Why don't you come back and have a seat? Have some wine? You haven't touched yours yet."

Itachi stood without moving, his hands on his hips. "Give me the money so I could go now. I believe we are done here."

"Slow down, Speedy-tachi. Who said that was all there was to it? Why don't you take a seat while I give you your first assignment?" He gestured for Itachi to take the seat across from him and took another sip of wine.

Itachi's gaze was ice-cold looking at Madara's, never fluttering while walking in measured steps to the sofa and taking a seat. He crossed his legs and lean back, not breaking his eye-contact. "If you are thinking of making me into your whore, you can kiss this deal goodbye. I am a proud ninja, even though I don't posses any of my powers here. I'm a natural-born assassin and was the captain of ANBU when I was 15, you cannot—you  _CANNOT_  make me into your bitch." Slamming his white-knuckled fist onto the coffee table, he gave his ultimatum.

"Hahahaha! Is that what you thought our deal was?" A puzzled look was on Itachi's face. "Do you think that your worth was  _only_  that of a three-dollar whore? I'm a business man, and I won't let natural talents be wasted—like you just said…"

" _You mean_ … but, I cannot use any of my ninjutsu…"

"—But your training and natural talents were innate to you and you are a natural born killing machine. I need you to kill someone for me…"

"So if this was the real deal, then what was _that_  all about?"

"I wanted to see your face covered in my cum." He said with a half-smile and shrugged. "And you didn't say no."

"You…" Itachi spat, eyes hard and narrowed at the grinning man in front of him, the one who made a complete fool of him just then. "You disgusting bastard…"

"And I wouldn't have wanted it any other way…" Not bothered by Itachi's statement, he continued, "I did not save members of our clan out of impulse, it was planned and they knew before it happened. I needed them for their special talents or other valuable traits and had taught them the basics of how to fold to this world. You, Itachi, you had figured it out without me teaching you. Brilliant indeed."

Silence.

"Itachi, the assignment is tonight, there are two people I need you to kill. But first, a quick lesson in learning how to use this  _new_ weapon."

()-()-()-()

Itachi was a natural, the gun fit to his hand like a glove and fired to his will. He narrowed his eyes at the rows of cans in front of him and fired, cans falling like dominos as the bullets swept across them, smoke bursting out from the barrel of the gun in perfect aim.

"I think we are ready."

()-()-()-()

He hid behind the trees and was as silent as a cat waiting for its prey. Madara said that the two people would leave the park at the back entrance at 10pm sharp, and would be the best time to hit them in the darken part of the road where there are no lights.

Itachi had twisted the sound-proofer onto the gun and inserted the bullets so efficiently that you wouldn't be able to tell that he'd just learned everything less than an hour ago. He was black from head to toe, drenched in a long trench coat like the one similar to Madara, and behind his skintight tee, a black mesh in likeness to the one he used while he was in Akatsuki; black leather pants and black sneakers, hair in his trademarked ponytail whipping in the air as he moved to avoid detection.

Madara said that he could spot them by the red and white blinking lights on the bicycles in both the front and the back wheels. Itachi waited, silently, watching the road for the slightest movement or sound, and indeed, the red and white lights approached, coming in closer. He was in his element and he was ready. Itachi was a born killer and he knew it and the time to prove it is—now!

As silent as the night and as fast as lighting, he stalked across the flower patch in front of him, flowers scattered and trampled on, petals free-flowing in the air, and then behind a tree again.

Those two on the bike had heard a noise and turned.

You can never be too careful as you never know what powers your enemy might possess. Seeing the opportunity again, aimed with the onyx body of the gun reflecting the pale moonlight. He fired once, and then twice. Hitting his targets both in the head, killing them instantly. The only sound that was heard was the sound of the bicycles falling to the ground.

He hates getting rid of evidence. Picking up other people's guts and getting himself covered by their blood was not an attractive idea unless one had some kind of kink or fetish or a mental disability. With one gloved hand, he turned one of the bodies over.

Shocked, he gasped. Air was caught in his throat, in front of him, in the bloody mess was a man so familiar—the wrinkles beside his mouth reminded him so much of…  _It can't be…_  It was that kindly old man that employed him to fix his bike and  _he couldn't hear himself think, his body was shaking, it can't be, not again_ —he turned the other body over, it was the broken face of the sweet old lady that drew him a bath and combed his hair and shoved money in his pocket when he had nothing.

 _No…. No… NO! It can't be! It can't be! It can't be!_  He'd vowed to be in their debt to those kind old people, why would Madara want them dead?! This doesn't make sense at all! Why of all the bad people in this world, why these Uchi… Uchihas.

Why would Madara want him to kill these Uchihas?

A crunch behind him and a bark was snapped. Itachi whipped around only to see Madara standing there, face half-obscured by the shadows. "Well done, Itachi. Well-done…"

"But why?!" Itachi raised his hand to strike but was caught even more quickly by Madara who lifted his hand without breaking a sweat.

"Because it must be done to repair the ripples, in keeping the balance."

"Th—These two people… I own them my life. The old couple who are defenseless, why?!"

Itachi went it for another kick, but was blocked by Madara who slid back, dust gathering behind his skid before finding his composure again and stood up tall; under the bright streetlights, clouds of dust rolled around him, Madara lifted two fingers in front of him, the shadow of it casting on Itachi's face.

"Rule #2: Maintaining the Balance of the Worlds. Where one major event happens, the other world must counter it in opposite to maintain a balance. One thing that is constant in all the dimensions is Time, and it only goes in one direction, pulling the worlds in as straight of a wave length as possible thus creating parallels… When we arrive here, we made ripples, and the ripples will increase in size as Time pulls it apart in a straight line until we stop it; ripples I'm still trying to seek out and correct. Having these ripples appear in this world greatly disturbs the balance,  _meaning…_ "

"—Having the same exact copies of Uchihas in a single world was not tolerable by Nature?" Itachi offered skeptically.

"Now, you are beginning to understand…" Madara lowered his hand as he walked closer to Itachi, the shadow and the cloud of dirt still following closely behind with each step that he took. "For Nature to fix this error, the  _Native_ will eventually be pursued by fate to meet his  _Doppelganger_  where one will have to die and take the place of the other," He paused, giving Itachi time to take in the information, "…to maintain balance. Your job is to dispose of this world's version of the Uchihas who escaped, so that us, the  _Doppelgangers of this world,_  can live amongst them seamlessly. And that's why—" Madara pointed at the two dead bodies on the floor with an ice-like glare that gleamed darkly from his eyes to his finger tip. "They must  _die_ … so that we can _live_."

* * *

_**To Be Continued…** _

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: First of all… After this chappie, where do you think the plot is going? I know what's going to happen and it's set in stone, but I'm curious as to what you guys think… Too obvious? Not enough details? Too much detail?! I'm still kinda a new writer so input will be greatly appreciated! And of course, I'm trying hard to work on my mechanics *sigh*…
> 
> Secondly, the surprise footnote (*1) —Is the synopsis of MY NEW FIC! *dances the Macarena* Called "A Layer Above" What is it about? Naruto the Nine-tailed fox demon with his Uchiha pleasure slaves. I honestly was going to write this after all the planned and in-progress stuff, but I can't! SIN (Sasuke, Itachi, Naruto 3some) MUST HAPPEN…
> 
> Thirdly… NOW! Chapter 1 of "A Layer Above" is out!  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/1331566
> 
> The next chapter – preview – Itachi, alone with a sick Sasuke in a new world and funds running low, Someone knew he will be back for more. Shisui, though blind, heard everything behind closed doors…
> 
> Until next time…


	15. We Are The Doppelgangers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Itachi, driven to a corner, he could do nothing but give into his continuous life as a murderer. The past and the rules of the universe was revealed. There was a person that he must kill, in order to protect him... A joyful reunion filled with tears and blood spilled...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you to everyone who made it this far! This is the last chapter of Part 1, a half-way check point if you will… Next chapter I will post up a realllyyy helpful index of chronological events that happened in part 1.
> 
> In this chapter: ATOM is a real club in Japan located in Shibuya (just like O-West that was mentioned before where 6 Paths played), and looks the way I described it, well, at least the last time I was there anyways :D ATOM is predominately a "gyaru" club more than anything.
> 
> Some Japanese words for this chapter:
> 
> Gyaru (gal) – a girl belonging to the gyaru fashion clique. They are usually bleached blond with fashionable clothing, some of them tanned, but always heavy with make-up and love deco nails.
> 
> Gyaru-o (gal, guy version) – The guys that belong to the gyaru-clique, they are not typically gay and have their own fashionable style as well like pointed shoes and tight ass pants…etc.
> 
> Onee-gyaru (and older more mature version of gyaru, aka older sister-gyaru)
> 
> Both gyaru styles can be summed up with the Egg and Ageha magazines in Japan. It's time for you to ask Google-sensei again for pictures if you need to :)

 

**Chapter 15**

**We Are The Doppelgangers**

* * *

His hands, stained with the blood of countless bodies, most of them were nameless.

Itachi had killed countless, dead bodies were child's play and streams of blood flow from his hands; he'd done it again—killing innocent people, killing his own kin. The old lady and old man were both Uchihas, having the same blood as him, but were unfortunate to be the Natives in this world. How could he be so stupid, so careless to strike without confirming their identities and falling into Madara's trap?

"Madara, why me?!" Stepping forward with the thrust of his shoe, lashing out at the one that drove him to sin again

"Why not?" His sardonic smile was no match for the way he had folded his arms across his chest, his lips turned up smugly blowing stale breath into the air. "Other Uchihas are occupied and you are the only one befitting for this position, and—you need the money."

"Che…" Kicking the dirt on the ground, Itachi turned to face away from Madara.

Dumping the bodies in the trunk of a white van, they drove back to his mansion in complete silence.

It was nearly morning, the break of dawn was peeking behind the mountains. A bird chirped as it landed on the grass, jumping behind its legs, picking at a seed between the blades next to the shovel that'd taken its last dive into the ground today. They'd buried the bodies in Madara's backyard.

He'd counted the money, and everything was settled. Shoving the last of the wads of cash in a paper bag, Itachi turned to leave. He wanted nothing more to do with Madara and his crazy games. He care less if the other  _Doppelgangers_  will die, they were supposed to anyways, back in the  _Old World_. "I won't be back." He left the front door and walked straight ahead, not turning back to spare him a look.

The older Uchiha snorted, folding his arms across his chest and watched as Itachi walked his long-winded driveway down the hill. He turned back towards the house, a butler closed the door behind him and handed him a fresh wet towel to wipe his hands on. "Oh, but you will…" A small grin on his face as he threw his bloody jacket at the  _'jacket-servant'_ _,_ who caught it ever-so expertly _._  "Oh, you will…"

()-()-()-()

It's been a challenge watching Sasuke's static form lying motionless with no improvement. Itachi had left Madara's place, vowed never to look back again— that, until his funds ran unsurprisingly low in a matter of a week, clutching the hospital bill so hard between his fist that he could rip it in half, and he had, tossed that piece of paper in the trash before slamming the door to the ward.

Living under the bridge and scavenging for food was hellish, but the amount of zeros on the bill was the devil's pitch fork raping him in the ass.

_Sasuke must stay in the hospital… He must get the best care… He must…_

He hated to swallow his pride, and other… bodily unpleasantries that he did not want to think about at the moment or ever, but as time clicked away closer to the bill's due date, he knew what he must do. He fuckin' hate it, but he must.

That's just his fate, his destiny— _a mother fuckin' killer._

And how he wished this was not true…

He found himself starring at the perfectly toned body drenched with a sheen of mist rising by the steps from the heated poolside Jacuzzi, long black mane dripping with water, hands fixing a clean white towel around his firm waist. It was like watching a Greek God ascending from the sea. And there he was, at Madara's again.

Drying his hair with a spare towel on the side, he paid no attention to the younger Uchiha who stared at him as if in a trance; he should, he's gorgeous and he knows it.

"So you are back…" A knowing grin and a sigh, Madara dried his hair idly with a free hand, and picked up his stupid wine glass again sipping that thing with his stupid mouth. "Great, let's get to work."

In the artillery storage, the gun was thrown into Itachi's hands again with a box of hundred rounds of bullets, he doesn't need them all, unless the job was to kill a hundred people, still, it would have been an overkill because Itachi is skilled with his hand-to-hand combat—his  _taijutsu_. Still lacking in prowess compared to before, he was a master of it none-the-less.  _What is this? A lifetime supply of bullets?_

Night comes, and the shiny black gun will indefinitely be in his grip again. Madara will be there in front of him with his own version of a bingo book, only, they are not comprise of criminals, but of innocent Uchihas whose blood indubitably must be spread.

Weeks passed, nameless and faceless they were, Itachi took them each by the bullet, cold-hearted; back of the head. He made sure they never saw him coming, dying a painless death. It was the least he could do for them. He did not ever want to learn the names of those Uchihas nor come face to face with them, too much pain, too much sin, and not enough penance to go around.

Bloody hands, no matter how many times they ran under the cooling water they remained drenched in the remnants of it. Rain, no matter how hard, does not have the capacity to discriminate his tears. Killing to live; living to die, dying to live, the cycle continues and he wondered what the hell is wrong with this world (with himself).

 _A ninja's body is only his tool_ , and he used it expertly, nightly, morningly, afternoonly, paid in nude and unwanted caresses and it's ok. Guilt made it ok. The feeling that made everything insane fine; saying ' _yes'_  to penance, if it could ever be redeemed, and screaming  _'no'_  with his dirty blood boiling in his head, he lived— _a killer_ , a trigger-happy cold-blooded, murderer, and it's ok, because Sasuke is ok.

He let Madara lift one knee to his chest as the man drove into him with no preparation, muscles breaking, and pain, his mouth was covered when a scream was trying to escape, pressed down into the sweat drenched pillow as his back arched to the size of the invasion.

Elbow locked between an unmerciful grip as he was turned over on his stomach, a hand swipe down to spank his flushed lower cheeks between each penetration, hair pulled and strands ripped, he bit into the relentlessness of the pillow wet with swallowing his screams.

He added a finger and two to the width of his flesh, if that was not enough for a tight satisfaction, he wanted to hear the younger Uchiha make noises while being administrated by his robust thrusts.

Hitting a spot inside of him, he felt his body pulse backwards into the fullness, never had his body been so openly exposed from within, skin flushed, his body begged for more, shuddered and arching with knees widely spread.

Noises escaped through the thick fingers Madara had laced over his lips, moans that beg the blue-hot pain to ravage his passage, turning the sensitive folds inside out against the strong suction.

A throaty groan and his high moans instrumentally composed the finale that was none but too operatic—Salieri would have been proud—the song and the movement ended in a long stretch of searing hot seeds being pumped into the well-seated tightly orchestrated pit, filled to the brim and to the gratification that his guilt would be drown in it. An ending note on a  _fortissimo_. A final scream for the release.

He lay there, unmoving for a good half an hour against Madara's chest, something that he detest coming in contacts with.

"Madara," Itachi addressed him as cold as ever. Ignoring his calloused fingers stealing a whiff of the side of his bare hips, he face the man turning around and getting off the bed to put on a clean shirt and fixing the zipper to his pants. "Are there other ways where killings don't have to be involved?" Voice penetrated the air like rusted breath, hard and lingering in the air.

Heaving a sigh, Madara put his hand on his hips. "There are no ways to change the will of Nature, one must die, but there are ways to determine the outcome when the two does meet naturally…"

Madara paused to glare at him. Kids are so rude these days, no respects, giving so little and demanding so much.

"You can always make a situation unfavorable for one party so that when the doubles do meet, one would have advantage over the other to win, thus sparing you from your own guilt of killing, but—" His usually carelessness with the murders suddenly took a turn, he narrowed his eyes in seriousness. "There is always the possibility of the Native winning even if the situation was made favorable to the other… Itachi," He took a step forward towards him, lifting his chin in his palm, "just kill them. It is the only way to guarantee their lives" ,and wiped the corner of Itachi's mouth of his spilled over essence.

Walls have ears, as a single one was pressed up to the door. Everything was heard, not a single moan was left unattended. The thrusting, the banging, and the final scream, there was no mistaken in the voice. His childhood friend, his brother, his confidant who sold his body to live. Shisui loves him, perhaps more than it was divulge. No eyes to see, perhaps it was for the best, but curse the ears and his skin who can feel, and tear ducts that functioned normally. Curse it,  _curse it to tears._ He can't listen to this any longer, why torture himself? Turning to leave, he did his best to run down the hallways with his hand guiding along the walls.

Pain has no words to describe the sour throbbing in his chest…

()-()-()-()

A special assassination was assigned to Itachi that next day.

Madara wanted to meet somewhere else more— _public_. Somewhere so extremely public that it was more private that in his own bathroom behind a locked door.

 _Shibuya._  He got off the station and walked to the direction Madara gave him.  _Too public_ , what is Madara thinking?

Blue glowing letters, "ATOM", pulsed to the heavy bass muffled by the thick iron door, fashionable teenagers with bleached hair and heavy make-up littered the place,  _gyaru-o_  and  _gyaru,_ boys and girls alike. It was the entrance to a popular club: Club ATOM.

"Hey, hot stuff. Are you going in or what?" A thin  _onee-gyaru_  girl with long blond curly hair, a fur leopard print jacket, and stiletto heels ran a sultry hand down Itachi's back and gave his ass a squeeze. His body leaned into her touch unconsciously, willingly.  _God dammit she is hot._  She lean in and stole a kiss on his lips and walked away with a wink. That bitch. Come back here.

He was supposed to go in a find Madara in this sea of people.  _Sure._

After paying for his club entrance, he entered, and it was quite literally underground; three levels of sweaty beautiful people dancing and grinding up on each other, like an orgy with clothes on. The entrance level was the first level, house music played and teenager rave to the trance music and danced wildly, fists rose cheering on the DJ who threw a pumping fist back at the crowd.

Itachi himself was well dressed, he thought, but he was wrong. He looks like a homeless bum compare to these people.  _Wait, he is._  They probably mistaken his rags for fashion as they always do, those silly people.

 _Where is that bitch?_  No, not Madara, the other one, the kissy hand one.  _Oh, there she is._

She caught his stare and came back for him, her hips swaying to the music. No words were exchanged and they danced. Her hands with the long decorated nails ran up his back and teased his chest, and he let her.  _God dammit._  Itachi had to admit that it's been a while...

Decided Madara was not of the current focus he danced with the girl as she led him in the second floor basement, a different genre of music, they called it  _hip-hop_ , or something. It was just basically music of people talking in rhythms to the beat. He bought her a drink and one for himself, because why the hell not.

Feeling dizzy and popular with her touches, they made out for a good thirty minutes before he remembered his purpose and bid the world saddest goodbye to her as she walked away to a fashionable young man and started dancing with him instead. That Whore.

Snorting, he search for Madara, but he was still nowhere to be found, so he went to the last basement. As he descended to the lower basement, each step was a descend into hell, moist heat loomed in the air that hung heavily with musk.

The bottom floor looked significantly different than other floors as it was decorated to look like the inside of a red-blue glowing cave. Maybe he really was in hell. There in the last floor was where the craziest party was and he was glad. He soon found himself being dry-rape by three scantly-dressed girls dancing with him in a tight circle, heavy makeup and decorated clothes and ribbons in their hair, the pretty tan boys all look at him more or less a little bit jealous. He only noticed now that he was tall for this crowd and modestly good looking for a bum. Or maybe not, maybe they were just drunk or something. Maybe he was drunk.

A tug on his clothes, a sneaky hand up his back, and a hip bumping to his own heated groin can do wonders for a man with a mission to find someone. What mission? The music pulsing to his knees wanting to move to it. Who was it again?  _Oh that Mada-something person he thinks._

Screw this I'm gonna dance.

His shirt was discarded, because screw this.

Tight jeans and abs that won't lie, he swayed with them. His life as a killer need to take a break and it was  _Mada-something_ 's idea to meet here,  _bless him._

He grind and the girls grinded with him, heated lips on his body they pushed him into a semi-private room where they threw him on a red velvet sofa and kissed him till he was light-headed with pants and moans. Fingers on his bare chest and playing with his nipple, he just let them and he never wanted to fuck so badly in his life. He hated to initiate anything for he was supposed to meet someone in this club for something that he currently forgot, hoping the three hot chicks would just rape him so he has an excuse to be late.

It would go like this: Hey  _Mada_ —sorry I was late, I kinda got raped by some girls.  _He would understand, right?_

Oh good, they took off his belt and one of the girls playfully whipped him across his bare chest. Oh please,  _oh please_. The one with the pink ribbon in her hair caught his zipper in her mouth as she pulled it down. And then they stopped.  _Wait, where are you going?_

Oh right. Oh fuck.

Madara couldn't have found Itachi at the worst possible moment, standing tall with arms folded and staring daggers at the girls, they ran away somewhere else. That guy's presence was never a good idea; he could've gotten laid.

Itachi was pulled to a sitting position as he zipped himself up, not giving Madara any tainted ideas.

"Those are my girls, do you like them?"

Mada-person had said something else, but were all slurred words for him, vision blurred and a bit dizzy, Itachi groaned in reply. Mada-person mouth opening and closing in shapes of words he could not comprehend, a white static ringing, beating in his ear. That man shook his shoulders, and finally, his hand landed on Itachi's thigh, leaning in he whispered in Itachi's ear. "Do you remember Shisui?"

Itachi's eyes flung wide at the mention of the name.

"Shisui…" His best friend and brother who drowned in a river— _for the good of the Leaf_. Of course he remembered him. His name breathed in his mouth like a dying fire, carrying all the remembrance that came with it.

"He is of this world now, and unfavorable—"  _because he was blind_. Itachi knew that, having the man who personally dug out his last eye and handed it to Itachi in a smile. He could still remember the warmth of Shisui's hand as his eye was enclosed in his own fingers.

"Where is he?! Shisui—where is he!?" Hands on Madara's shoulders now he shook them, "Tell me he is alive!"

Madara's hand drifted up Itachi's bare chest and up his chin, his index finger placed over his lips in a " _shh"._  The finger drifted off to the left side as it pointed to the back of a person that was talking to a girl at the bar. "Oh, our Shisui is very much alive, but—"

That person laughed and turned sideways.

Unmistakably, it was Shisui. It was at least his face. Not blind.  _Wait._

"That's the Native Shisui." And no other explanation but a pat on his back. "You know what to do."

()-()-()-()

Feet as quite as a predator, Itachi followed the wobbly young man home after the club had ended. A beautiful young lady was in his arm. Looks like he is as popular as ever with the girls in this world too.

He kissed her deeply as they fell inside the hallway of his home.

Itachi, with the small dosage of alcohol out of his system between a few bathroom breaks, perched on a tree branch, watch through the window to his room where he laid her to his bed and rid themselves of their clothes.

He watched him move, his shoulders, his arms, and his sweaty back—a familiarity far too similar to his Shisui. The way he kissed the girl, the way his lips moved reminded Itachi of that one time he had experimented with Shisui when they were younger. His face, his expressions, they were all Shisui's expressions.

His room was decorated with band posters plastered to the wall, a shelf of console games was neatly displayed (was the only thing neat in the room), his clothes slipped from the edge of the closet.

This Shisui has a life and he seemed happy…

This was the Shisui of this world, and he doesn't know he's going to die today.

Itachi is going to take his life from him. Someone, a murdered, is perching outside his window like a hawk, a shaking gun in his hand—he pointed the gun at his head, but his aim wouldn't focus, because Itachi's hand wouldn't stop shaking. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he couldn't. This is Shisui no matter what. Eyes squeezed shut and opened wide again, this is Shisui and he's happy and alive, and  _why am I here._

And the girl, there is no doubt that he will have to get rid of the girl too.  _Innocent people that has to die._

He contemplated. Maybe if he would walk away now and just let Nature sort out the mess on her own.

But  _his_  Shisui, him…

If what Madara said was true…

Shisui is blind and clearly at a disadvantage. If they meet, the outcome would be favorable towards the Native…  _damn it all._

But he, this one…  _he is Shisui too and I don't want him to die. No, not like this_ … but it must be like this.

Picking up the gun again from his side, he aimed. This time hands more steady than the last, he closed his eyes and fired.

Shisui never knew what was coming and by the time he heard the shot it was too late. Bullet shot through his neck as he was choking on his own blood on top of a screaming girl who is slowly being covered by his own blood.

White noise penetrated the air; everything was silent.

She screamed and pushed his naked body away and cried and screamed, but nothing was audible.

He was still alive, clenching the side of his neck.

Itachi missed. His hand shook and fired again, more tears.

Static white frequency buzzed in his ears, vision blurred and focused.

Shisui screamed as his shoulder was pierced by a second bullet.

The girl screamed  _help_.

Itachi shot her. Twice in a row. And then she shut the hell up.

Rising in blood pressure his heart pound against his chest; no sound, just the whirling thumping sound of his heart beating.

He shot Shisui two more times, landed some place else. Just stop screaming.  _Stop screaming_. Just let it end. He shot Shisui again. He shot him again.

White.

_And again._

Red.

And finally one landed in his face.

Static.

They stopped screaming.

They stopped screaming.

The whirling screaming sound; the static white, the thumping of his chest, beating trying to escape.

Blood. Everywhere.

He clicked his gun. Click click click….click.

No more bullets and but he kept firing blanks.

Click click click….click. Click… click.

His tears and sobs between his lips, mouth opening and closing, words audible and inaudible, they came out, maybe, it sounded like  _"Sorry…"_  over and over again  _"I'm sorry, Shisui… Shisui… I'm so sorry…."_

I'm sorry…. I'm sorry… I'm sorry!

()-()-()-()

An eternal red veil that enveloped his scarred vision, never to be able to look at the world again, he walked towards the sound with his hands tracing the walls, Touch was his only resolve.

A familiar voice, too familiar was arguing with Madara.

Shisui was brought by Madara to live in his mansion and under his protection since he'd landed in this new world. He'd reassured the ancient Uchiha that he could very well take care of himself,  _thank you,_  but Madara'd insisted. Shisui was too important to the clan to be let out into our world stumbling blindly, so he took him in, living in the room down the hall where he was well-taken care of by the maids daily like some kind of prince.

"I…I don't want to do this anymore! Shi—Shi... he was covered in blood and the girl, and she was innocent!" His hands lifted Madara's shirt by his shoulders, white-knuckled fingers ripping into the expensive silk. "No more… No more—just I can't! I don't care! I don't care!"

"Itachi, get a hold of yourself!" A rough push and Itachi was on the floor. "You are the worst killer on this planet-!"

"I'm not a killer! I don't want to—"

A hand that peeked from behind the door and a squeak of the hinges, their eyes darted towards the sound. A foot entered into their vicinity, treaded uncertainly, another foot, and another hand guided faintly by the walls. He was dressed in an all-white yukata, brown hair well-trimmed and bandages obscured his eyes.

Itachi paused and could only stare wide-eyed in surprise. Taking a step forward, and then another, and then another, hands reached in front of him, eyes wide and drunk in the sight ahead, he caught in his arms the man who came back from the dead. If the dead has a name, he would be, "Shisui…" He whispered, just loud enough for them to hear.

"Itachi…" His hands reaching, searching for the face of that name, empty hand was caught in the palms of him, bringing the blind fingers to his face in soft touches around his nose and the side of his face. "Itachi, is this really you? Is it?"

"I personally transported Shisui here, sentiments if you will. I have a heart, you know?" Madara's statement went mostly ignored and he shrugged, taking a seat in on the sofa, he picked up the wine bottle and two glasses in his hands. "Wine, anyone?" Ignored, he sighed deeply.

His fingers stumbled to wipe Itachi's tears from his face. "Oh, Itachi…"

There was entirely too much that happened today. He killed Shisui and now he's back, His Shisui's is back, from the dead. "Shisui, I never thought… I thought you—" Hands that reached behind Shisui in a hug, they held on for dear life, "You are alive."

" _They must_ die _… so we could_ live _…"_

Maybe it was all worth it, the pain, the trigger, the spilling of innocent blood.

Fingers held tightly to Shisui's arm, so hard Shisui must've felt the pain.

This will not happen again.

Itachi held him tighter,  _"This will not happen again."_

()-()-()-()

They'd of course buried the bodies in the back yard soon after the deed was done, along with the others. Once what was a smooth patch of lawn was now filled with craters of earth being turned up, each patch of land an unmarked grave.

Itachi went in early morning the next day to clean up the bloody mess, so that in the afternoon, Shisui could move in and pose as the dead-Native and not to raise suspicion.

"We are here." Holding Shisui's hand, Itachi gave it a firm squeeze and then let go, hands and feet inching away from within the door.

"Aren't you going to stay—to live with me?" His voice tentative, with a bit of hope. "You don't have to go back to the bridge or Madara… We can live here now, now that—now that  _he_ 's gone."

"This is exactly why I can't bear to look at this place." Itachi stared, sympathetic eyes wandered from Shisui's toes to the collar of his white yukata that served as a spark to the musky dark corridors. "Because I murdered him, and he was you, and I just can't make myself…"

His hand reached out, searching for the voice in front of him, "But you saved me. I don't want that to happen as much as you, and maybe even more, because he was me but—but…" He'd found Itachi's arm and reached up for his face and held it in his hand. "Look at me." He turned Itachi to look at him, "Look at me. I'm alive. We survived."

"Shisui… You don't understand, I just can't, ok?" Pushing Shisui's hold roughly, he detached himself and turned sideways. His voice strained and threatening to break, "This is wrong, if it's not for the money—for Sasuke—I never would—"

 _A ninja must learn to see without his eyes_ , and he had been trained to do so exceptionally. A fast dash towards the source of his voice, and he was there, tugging on Itachi's arm and pulling him into an embrace. "Itachi, don't go—just don't go back to Madara—I won't allow it!"

"Stop it."

"I won't let you go back and whore yourself to him! I heard it, I heard everything while I was living there!"

"I'm not a whore and don't you think of me as one." He tried to push Shisui off, but the older Uchiha held on tight.

"Then what?! I'm grateful that Madara had decided to let me live, but he doesn't care about you—He doesn't— Do you love him?"

"I know he doesn't!" Itachi nearly screamed and would have struck him if he was not incapacitated and handicapped. "But you know what? I'm going to live there with him, and he could have my body to fuck for fuck's sake! Shisui. FUCK—!"

"—But I love you!" They both froze at those words. Tears soaked through the bandages around his head, and his voice grew softer. "I—I love you and I always have, not the brotherly kind of love, Itachi—I know it was not allowed, but I always have." His hands caressed the side of Itachi's arms and up his neck, his thumbs, brushing the side of his face. A whisper. "So please don't go—" Wanting to kiss Itachi, he pulled him into a kiss on the lips with no protests. Fingers running through his hair, but there was no reaction, he pulled away.  _Itachi'd always knew…_

Itachi backed away and turned to leave, a few steps and he stopped, "I need the money—I need it for Sasuke… and, the bounty was not enough. And… And I don't love him. And, I don't love—"  _you_.

I  _can't_ love you.

The door was slammed and Itachi ran.

Left behind, a man sank to his knees in tears, pondering on the pieces of heart that had been grind to a fine powder, fingers, too sensitive for their own good held onto the coldness that dwells in the walls of his new home.

"—then I will be here for you when you need me. I will always be here for you." His voice soft and meek, and only as unimportant as a single thread in the grand fabric of time.

()-()-()-()

Itachi danced, and they danced with him.

Itachi fucked, and the girls fucked with him.

Drunken, almost nightly, the man seek his frustrated release in random strangers, and he fucked plenty.

Wobbly he comes back each day in the morning to Madara's room, where he make himself comfortable and naked in Madara's bed, waiting for the man to come out of the shower.

And for months, he waited, each night the same, the morning was a mirror of the day before.

This cycle continues, until one day, sometime after that day when Sasuke opened his eyes did things changed. Another bargain… another mission— the last mission—the one to end it all.

()-()-()-()

They should be lucky that the janitor decided to open up the door to the closed roof top before going away again. It was early morning and the boys woke up sticking to each other by the cum on their bare skin. Wetting some tissues with melted snow, he cleaned himself off.  _What a mess._

He turned to find someone smiling at him as he was getting dressed. "What are you looking at, stupid, dead-last, you will be the last person on earth without clothes on if you don't hurry your ass up and get dressed."

"Is it so wrong to watch my boyfriend get dressed?" He teased, feeling rather playful to the one not feeling really playful at the moment.

Oh right.  _Boyfriends._

He sneered and turned away trying to hide his blush. "Let's go."

Sasuke was feeling rather prissy, but Naruto insisted on holding his hand while they walk down the flight of stairs. It wasn't a bad idea really, nobody was there and it was more or less— _nice._  They'd never held hands before, at least not like this.

A few more steps down and Sasuke had grown accustomed to it with a lean towards the blonde. A soft touch was comforting after a night of rough play.

On one of the levels, a fire escape door suddenly swung out, someone ran in and looked up.

Still with their hands in each other's grip, they froze in their tracks, mouth half-opened.

"Sasuke… I guess... I found you."

"Is that your—" Naruto looked at Sasuke's stilled eyes focusing on the one that just burst through.

Itachi looked up and took in the view in front of him: His little brother holding Naruto's hand.

It has begun.

The merciless ripple that has been stretched parallel with Time.

* * *

_**End of Part 1.** _

_**To be continued with part 2…** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This is the last chapter in Part 1, chapter 16 will be a very SHORT chapter with a deliberately long note where I will post a timeline (/cliffnotes) of the events happened so far in its chronological order (as much as it allows, because of the world/time difference) so that when we start on part 2 we'll be on the same page. PS: It's a really good idea to read the chronological order of events as this story plays with the concept of time, worlds, flashbacks, and twins/doppelgangers, and it could get a bit confusing.
> 
> I also found out I'm not a plotter. I'm a pantser. You know what this means? I work better not knowing exactly what's going to happen next (which is terrible for this fic...)
> 
> In case you haven't already, I really would love for you guys to check out my new fic "A Layer Above" which, in my opinion, the writing style and plot and just everything is like a bazillion times better than this one. I'm the same person writing it, but for this fic I just can't…. D: and for that fic, I have like absolutely zero planning, why is it so good?! (and seemed so well-plotted out?) Oh that's right, I found out I'm a pantser…
> 
> A Layer Above is literally talking about the events of the world a layer above this one (the one in Perhaps), ninjaverse is one layer below this one. Get it? :D


	16. Cliffnotes (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yes, I'm posting this as a separate page. It's important to read this for the parts I highlighted in the Chronological Events Index. Also, if there was anything unclear, you should be able to find all the important points here. I really recommend you to at least go through the chronological events before moving onto Chapter 17 :)

I wrote you a little omake in commemoration of the end of Part 1~

Sasuke: Hey Naruto!

Naruto: Hey Sasuke!

Sasuke: I love you, man!

Naruto: Dammit, I loved you all along! Let's get drunk!

_They got drunk with Tsunade who appeared at the bar, because it's where she lives._

Sasuke: Let's make out and make babies and you can get me mpreg!

Naruto: Let my raging nine-tails chakra hormones fire up before I cum into your body!

Sasuke: NOT BEFORE CUMMING ON MY FACE.

_Itachi peeks his head in, accidentally got hit in the eye by Naruto's fired-up pressured cum shot._

_Itachi screams._

Itachi: AAAHHHHHHHH! MY EYE!

_Itachi's eye got eye-preg, had sharingan-kyuubi eye babies, Naruto dumped Sasuke, lives happily ever after with Itachi._

_Sasuke marries … YOU._

The end.

[A/N: Wow, that was a surprised ending! Wasn't that exciting? Basically the best thing I have ever written. *crossed arms, nods*]

* * *

**"Chapter 16"**

_**Cliffnotes (Part 1)** _

* * *

" **Vocab" you need to know:**

Native: One who was born of Our World (where Japan is... ya know, OUR world. Heh.)

Doppelganger: One who came from _ninjaverse_  to Our World

Old World: They also refer to  _ninjaverse_  as this

Nature: The grand force that controls everything and keeps everything between the layers of the world in balance.

VK: Visual Kei, a sub-genre of J-rock, the type of music and stage show that is non-mainstream in Japan with quite a unique fashion. Naruto and his friends are into this and had since dragged Sasuke into it (Sasuke didn't mind too much, or so to speak).

6 Paths of Pain: The super popular VK band that they are into. Nagato is the main singer and Yahiko play acts as the servant to the Master of Pain.

**Characters Index (and their Statuses…** _**so far** _ **…):**

Sasuke (Status: Doppelganger) – Lost his memories so he had to find himself again by exploring everything the world has to offer.

Itachi (Status: Doppelganger) – Would do everything in the world, even sell his body and his soul so that his little brother, Sasuke, would live happily. He has his faults, but he tried.

Naruto (Status: Native/Doppelganger) – Being a doppelganger who was born in this world has its perks, he is both. Rich kid who has a traumatic past that is trying to live each day trying to forget and at the same time remember the twin brother that he'd accidentally killed.

Menma (Status: Native / Deceased) — Took on the big brother role though he was a twin to Naruto. As he grew older, he seemed to had taken a darker personality, and even went as far as raping his own boyfriend.

Madara (Status: Doppelganger) – He had figured everything out about Nature and the Transportation jutsu and can travel between the two worlds competently because Obito stays in ninjaverse as an anchor. In this world, his job is a pimp, and he has an unlimited amount of money. He has a non-traditional/obstructed moral value.

Shisui (Status: Doppelganger) –  _Blindly_  in love with Itachi. Replaced Native Shisui in Our World.

Orochimaru (Status: ? / assumed Native) – Science teacher.

Nagato (Status: Native) – Lead singer (aka Master of Pain) of the VK band 6 Paths of Pain. [A/N: His personality was based on the pipe-in-back-sunken-cheeks-old-and-crazy Nagato instead of his younger, shyer, and sweeter self in the canon :)] He has a YOLO personality, but it seems that way because he seemed to have his own trauma in the past.

Yahiko (Status: Native) — Support actor? Ha. (aka. The Servant) of the VK band 6 Paths of Pain. Is couple with Nagato. He also has a YOLO sorta personality.

Shikamaru and Chouji (Status: Native) —friends of Naruto.

Karin (Status: Native) – The Principal's assistant at Naruto and Sasuke's school who has a mad crush on Sasuke.

**Events in its** **chronological** **order:**

1) Back in Old World _(ninjaverse),_  Sasuke left to train with Orochimaru for 3 years where the snakemeister raped and abused him repeatedly, until one day, Team 7 (with Sai) came to rescue him. [Prologue]

2) Sasuke put a chidori in his own body to save his friends but died over blood loss from his various wounds. [Prologue]

3) Itachi's been following Team 7 for the sake of Sasuke, and was pressed to do the Transportation Jutsu, even though he was not as competent as Madara in it, transporting himself, Sasuke, and accidentally—Naruto, to the New World (our world). Landing in Japan. [Prologue and Chapter 8]

4) Because Naruto fell backward into the portal, he went back in time and was born to the new world along side Menma , his twin brother (both of them were implied as Natives. The reason that the reader guessed why Menma has to die was because Nature only allows one to survive. [Prologue, last part of Chapter 5, and Chapter 6]

5) Naruto then accidentally killed Menma when he thought Menma was raping a guy that was supposed to be the boyfriend that he kept abusing. Who is the guy? [Chapter 6]

6) Itachi made a blood pact with the Hand that he will exchange his soul for Sasuke to be happy and alive. They each fell into a different portal, but Sasuke appeared in Itachi's arms as he was falling to the new world, body good as new. Hmmm… perculiar… [Chapter 8]

7) While Sasuke was in a coma, Itachi took on bum jobs (really, what else could I call those? LOL) and ran into the kind old couple who helped him instead (they turned out to be a random pair of Uchiha Natives) [Chapter 8 and Chapter 14]

8) Itachi needed money and answers so he seek out Madara. He found out Madara is a pimp. [Chapter 8 and Chapter 14]

9) Madara explains the rules of universe, balance, the jutsu, Nature, Natives & Doppelgangers to him. [Chapter 14 and 15]

10) Madara gave him what he wanted if he would work for him as a killer to murder off the Natives so that the Doppelganger Uchihas could live. [Chapter 14]

11) Itachi accidentally killed off the Native Uchiha couple, and then intentionally others that Madara had assigned him to kill. He got money to pay for Sasuke's medical expenses, but it was still not enough so Itachi sorta whore himself out to Madara D: [Chapter 14 and 15]

12) Itachi found out Shisui's alive and killed off Native Shisui so that Shisui would be safe and take over the Native Shisui's place in the world. [Chapter 15]

13) Shisui confessed his love to Itachi. Itachi said he needed to live with Madara to whore himself out for Sasuke's sake. At this point, of course, Sasuke is still comatose. [Chapter 15]

14) Sasuke woke up and found out that he's a blank with no memories. [Chapter 2]

15) Itachi always disappeared at night and left Sasuke alone at home. Putting the pieces together, the reader should now be able to gather that Itachi either were out killing or sleeping with Madara (to earn more money for him and Sasuke) or Shisui (to ease his pain of killing all these people, and…..  _another_  thing.) [Chapter 3, Chapter 7, Chapter 9, and Chapter 11]

16) Sasuke kissed Itachi because he was going crazy in his own darkness (kept having nightmares of bloody hands grabbing at him) and kept telling Itachi he wanted to leave, Itachi made a decision... to move to Tokyo. He left that night, but to where? [Chapter 3]

17) He came back with his hair cut short and beaten up. With a mysterious bag of money and a gun. [Chapter 3]

18) Sasuke wanted to commit suicide at the train station because of depression, but Naruto saved him in the nick of time. [Prologue and Chapter 3]

19) They moved into a large estate that looks and feels lived in… Sasuke noticed their pictures on the wall and wondered about the strangeness of himself glasses for the first time… [Chapter 4]

20) At this point, Itachi had stopped killing the Native Uchihas, and it was implied by the fact that he was always home. [Chapter 5]

21) Sasuke ran into Naruto again at a VK concert (6 Paths of Pain) and felt a closeness to him. Naruto was his first friend. [Chapter 6]

22) They ran into 6 Paths (Nagato and Yahiko) in a back alley and was invited to their little hideout where they do drugs and have sex. Naruto dragged both him and Sasuke outta there to risk Nagato further taking advantage of Sasuke. Nagato and Yahiko seemed to have taken a liking to the 2 boys… [Chapter 6]

23) Naruto and Sasuke grew closer, and Sasuke choose to stay over at Naruto's apartment more. They like each other but couldn't figure their feelings out. Sasuke's nightmare about the bloody hands continued to haunt him at night. [Chapter 9]

24)Sasuke was never home and Itachi was depressed, so he went away to have sex with Shisui to ease his unhappiness (with worrying over Sasuke and his own guilt of killing all those people…) [Chapter 7, Chapter 9, Chapter 11]

25) Sasuke and Naruto finally confessed to each other they have feelings for each other and had a heated moment at the roof top, they kissed publicly at the train station, but was seen by Karin. Karin saw it and wanted to stop them, because she has a crush on Sasuke. [Chapter 10 and Chapter 12]

26) Sasuke said something that had awaken a vision from Naruto's past life. Vision of when Sasuke was dying in his arms, but he couldn't see the face. [Chapter 10]

27) Sasuke studies the pictures at home again and noticed that in the picture, he was supposed to have a scar on his shoulder, but it wasn't there—like he was a completely different person… He started to grow suspicious of Itachi. He made a mental list of his theories. The floor at home is cold... [Chapter 10 and Chapter 11]

28) Karin told Naruto's dad about his kiss with another boy and his dad was furious, and along with his mom, they kidnap Naruto at night and made him kneel in front of Menma's grave in repentance. They were afraid that he was going to turn out like Menma (rapist and dead) and wanted to stop him before it got to that. [Chapter 12]

29) Naruto changed overnight and started acting cold towards Sasuke the following day who didn't know why. He humiliated Sasuke in front of everyone after the concert. [Chapter 12]

30) Sad and defeated, Sasuke was cornered by Nagato and Yahiko who expressed their interest in him. Yahiko left Sasuke his phone number with a small bag of meth. [Chapter 12]

31) Sasuke went into a depression for over a month. Though suspicious of Itachi, he stopped thinking about it because of his mental state. [Chapter 12]

32) Sasuke was going to commit suicide again by cutting himself with a knife, but Naruto's surprised phone call stopped him. Naruto wanted to come clean to Sasuke about his feelings. [Chapter 12]

33) Fueled by revenge, Sasuke hated Naruto for a brief period while bullying Naruto in school, they fought and Sasuke accidentally fell down the stairs where Naruto rescued him while getting hurt himself. Sasuke forgives him. [Chapter 13]

34) Enters Orochimaru as the science professor who patched Naruto up. They met for the first time in his lab. [Chapter 13]

35) In search of Sasuke who did not return his phone call, Itachi found out about Orochimaru, but couldn't figure out if it was the Native or the Doppelganger… [Chapter 14]

36) Sasuke finally decided to meet Naruto at the roof top where Naruto confessed to him again and they worked out something where they could be together without alarming anyone. They explored each other's bodies in the janitor's closet overnight. [Chapter 13]

37) Itachi found out that Sasuke and Naruto got together. [last part of Chapter 15]


	17. Intoxicate My Angel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much for following this story so far, I hope my writing and grammar has improved :) This is the prologue for Part 2, I'm gonna follow through with my original ending and I darn hope I wouldn't miss anything before that comes. I predict at least another 10 chapters (give or take).
> 
> All I have to say is… you thought you knew everything by now, but really. You know NOTHING.
> 
> *rubs hands together* Eeexxcellent… :D

 

**Chapter 17 (Prologue for Part 2)**

**Intoxicate My Angel**

* * *

Bodies sweating, music pumping, lights flashing, hips bumping, clothes swagging, minds drunking, thoughts burning…

A twist of his wrist to the beat of the sound, his body moved to the sickness that he inevitably cannot escape, a sickness so delicious he became numb in the presence of it. Itachi drank, and he moved, mindlessly, laughing and they laughed with him.

Music so loud, and thoughts amiss, that if only he could just run away into another place that is not of this world, in neither worlds nor any layers above or in between.

 _Perhaps in another lifetime,_  he wished, that he wouldn't have to resort to this type of escape—truly mindless, the way that he planted sloppy kisses around this girl's neck, and that way that she moved her body against his. He will have her tonight—and maybe several others.

Humans can only be pushed so far and to a certain limit before they break.

Itachi doesn't know how to break. So he danced.

An escape. The only escape he could possibly have in this forsaken world closed from within— _keyless_ , he must attempt to crawl through on his bare hands and knees through broken windows. Sasuke still comatose in the hospital will no signs of springing back to consciousness, and he was made into a killer again.

The reality is—there were never an escape to begin with.

You crawled through the broken window in your bloody battered hands only to find another room with a locked door, and you're back to where you started again. The never-ending game of Escape.

There is only prayer—ritualistic movements, in which he sways to the mantra of lyrics spoken as a liberation.

A nameless girl,  _no_ — girls taken against a dirty bathroom stall with a buzzing light up top and the lock door being pounded against by urgent fists wanting to enter; the music and his heavy breathing down her breasts drowned out the sound.

She slipped him a phone number in which he discarded along the way home, Madara's home, he stumbled and scrapped his knee. No matter, Madara probably prefer him looking like a beaten up whore anyways,  _his_ beaten up whore. Itachi is fine with that.

Not fine in the sense that he had wanted it all along, but it was helping him pay for Sasuke's hospital bills, and Sasuke is priority. (Always a priority.)

He didn't know how he arrived or how he managed to slipped a hand behind the front gate to unlock it from the outside, but he'd made it back in more or less one piece. The taxi driver swore that he doesn't want to drive this drunktard home ever again having a backseat full of puke that he must clean up later on. Thanks a lot, kid. No thanks.

On the third try of entering the passcode, he finally have gotten it to open. Madara's servants were still asleep, so no one that would usually greet him at the door would do so at this ungodly hour. He was not Madara, but if he was, the servants would break their back and lose sleep just to open the door and catch his coat before it ever reaches the ground. At least they know who he is and wouldn't have the mind to kick him out, at the very least.

They know who he is alright, the servants would whisper to each other _, "That's Madara's whore.", "How handsome and young, what a waste."_  And his favorite _, "His screams were too loud I couldn't sleep. Won't that whore shut the hell up?"_

With a hand balancing his wobbly form on the wall, he made it in, tumbling down a topsy-turvy hallway that he swore was made by the effects of the sharingan if not for the fact that the sharingan basically cannot exist here, he stumbled his way down a darken pathway.

Where was Madara's room again? A left and then a right? No, scratch that, right and then climb the stairs, then left,  _no_ …

He told himself that he cannot possibly be lost, too lost, since it was just Madara's house. He took the stairs down.

One foot in front of another he treaded down, head slid to the side of the damp wall for added balance, not caring if his hair was messy and smelled of cigarette and sex; his hand losing its grip.

Sweat, sex, and blood. His life.

Maybe he was crying, or maybe it was his sweat, either way, he'd arrive at a dead-end.

A door. A basement?

The sign says "Do Not Enter", which translates to:  _I should explore._

When it should really be, if he wasn't so dizzy, " _turn back now_."

A hand of the handle and he twisted the knob open easily. It wasn't locked. Of course, who in the right mind would have the guts to ignore Madara's warnings? Certainly none of the servants, and Shishui would have never found it in his, well _—_   _situation_ …

Tempting fate, he crossed the tapes that barred his way, which should have been a clear warning to stay out.

The basement was damp and dark, with no hint of light to pass through the thick cement walls, he searched for a light switch. Maybe, if there was a bed, he could just pass out on it.

The panel of the light switch was sticky, he had to fumble with the hard metallic flip before successfully flicking it on.

A hum of aged machinery echoed in the background before the place was dimly lit up, with a single lamp highlighting a desk to the left of the large and musky room. The center glowed green, a large fluorescent tube of light, too large to just be a light bulb and too dim to be an effectively source of light, hoover hazily in the center of the large room.

His eyes had adjusted to the lights and could see that it was a used lab, no longer in operation for years… paper littered in stacks and on the floor, a thin layer of dust masked some of the fine prints of important documents long forgotten, plastic tubing from machineries all leading to one place, the center, the neon glowing, bubbling tube-tank stretching from the floor to the ceiling.

Curiosity had gotten the best of him as he stepped closer to its memorizing glow that pulsed with each breathe he took, with each step, increasingly harder to find footing between the bunched up tubes along the ground as he moved closer.

The basement was cold and water droplets condensed on the glass, a drop slid down revealing something behind the tank. With an unsteady hand, he moved to wipe away the condensation so to have a better look— a  _face_.

Human.

Shock, he had taken a step back to catch his initial shock before extending a hand to wipe away a larger area on the surface of the glass. Long dark hair floating in the green liquid wrapped around a naked body, and what looked like an oxygen mask was attached to this person's face. He took a closer look, it was none other than—

"Busy-bee you are tonight, my dear."

Itachi whipped around to find none other than the one that he dreaded coming home to standing in the doorway looking more than a little exasperated with his hands folded, his voice, sarcastic and tired, most likely from staying awake all night again due to his periodic insomnia. Stepping closer to Itachi until he reached past Itachi's shoulder, he lean a hand on the glass over the figure's face, an endearing look in his iridescent eyes as he slid his hand down to wipe over it, fully exposing the tank-human's face behind his palm.

Madara was quiet, with his attention fixated on the figure in the tank for about a minute before his lips turned up in a smirk. "So you chose to ignore the huge sign on the door. Figures. It's just like you." He turned around, facing Itachi now. "Never thought you would find two of me here, did you?"

It was Madara in the tank no doubt, younger looking, incapacitated and attached to wires and tubes floating around his body, oxygen being fed into his lungs.

"Madara, why… how?"

"Did it not cross your mind that I would have a Native body as well?" He let out a long sigh heading towards the door and kneaded his brow. "I have a heart, it's just buried deep inside of this basement. I couldn't kill him…but I don't want to perish either." –was his explanation.

Itachi felt less drunk since he had entered the room, and now he was almost back to his old solid self. He lashed out, "So you thought it was better to keep him alive in the tank than to end his life? This is not living… if this is living, he might as well be dead."

Madara stopped in his tracks and turned around. "So, Itachi, what would you have done in my place? As a matter of fact, what do you plan on doing with yours?"

Itachi lowered his gaze to the floor. He knew he probably has one, but hoping that he wouldn't have to deal with him unless he was pressed to by fate. He also had deducted that he would win because he obviously had more training in  _taijutsu_  (or martial arts, as they call it in this world) than the normal people here. "I'm not going to do a damn thing about it until I needed to."

"Then what about Sasuke's Native?" Madara turned around towards the door and pause before speaking again, "And I know the Native Sasuke is totally not comatose. He's entirely too busy being  _not_  comatose by training and winning at taekwondo, judo, and kickboxing competitions in and out of the same town as  _your_  Sasuke's hospital. Just food for thoughts... food for thoughts…"

Itachi snapped his head up as he watched Madara exit the old lab, eyes glaring, deliberate train of thoughts brewing in his mind.

"Turn off the lights before you come to bed… and take a shower. You stank of alcohol and sex."

()-()-()-()

Black painted nails slid down his sweaty back as he adjust his hands around his hips, fingers spreading his welcoming buttocks, Nagato slammed into him. Hands tangling in his hair and pulling, just the way Yahiko likes it.

Yahiko likes many things, and one of his favorites is to be dominated.

Pulling the belt from its loops, Yahiko watched in excitement, a heat pooling in his lower regions. A low throaty moan escaped as the belt flogged him against his back side, and then his bottom, leaving a pale red welt. Yahiko wonder if that little boy they met after the concert would like it.

_Ya know, Nagato. That cute one with the dark hair. I could see kinkiness in him. Sasuke-kun, wasn't it?_

No blood, not this time, Nagato thought, it is right before a show and he doesn't want Yahiko to look out of place—although, it could have been there on purpose if they play it right.

_I have faith we could unleash the animal in him…_

Body twisted sideway for his master to have a snugger fit, Nagato embedded himself for a final time before cumming capaciously inside the ass that swallow his fluids so willingly.

Yahiko would have to clean himself up quick. The show was about to start in fifteen minutes. Sneaking behind the dressing room, he dashed to the adjacent restroom.

_Hey, how 'bout we try to get him to come with us tonight? Ya know, he's always with that blonde—maybe, if we separate them._

The crowd roared as layers of music blared out from 6 Paths of Pain's solo guitarist, followed by the bassist that hammered away at each string plucked to its core. Nagato, with black prop wings attached to his back, descended on the stage on a wire with Yahiko held bridal style in his arms, "Today, our angel has fallen… Let us awaken him with the darkness of our music!" The crowd cheered in excitement as spotlights fell on the audience in a blinking array of different colors.

_Hey, I think I just saw the dark hair boy in the crowd..._

_I wonder if his ass would be as tight as yours._

The two's lips joint together as one, theatrical blood trickling down the side of Yahiko's mouth all the way to his neck and down his back. Ribbons of crimson smeared by black painted nails and up his muscular arms, red against stark white.

Nagato held Yahiko's waist as he dove his tongue into him, lips crushed against lips, relishing in the very possibility of doing drugs and fucking someone senseless bend over a couch with everyone watching— as an afterthought.

Nagato licked the blood off the corner of Yahiko's mouth slowly, eyes closed and opened again in a half-smile.

… _Maybe even tighter._

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._ **

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Short, but very satisfied with this part 2 prologue ;) So much teasing… One of my fav chapters so far!


	18. The Queen of Ambivalent Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even love that crosses over space/time has its weaknesses...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Don't do drugs, kids! It's bad for ya!
> 
> About the contents of this chapter: It is what it is. You are allow to form your own opinions on it.

 

**Chap 18**

**The Queen of Ambivalent Hearts**

* * *

"Sasuke, what are you doing?" Itachi stared with his mouth agape at the two boys in front of him, even though they seemed innocently enough.

There was a moment of silence that passed through between the three as they stood still in their respective pose, frozen, waiting for someone to break the ice.

Lowering his head, Naruto refused to look upon the castigating eyes that bounced from their tightly clasped hands then to his face, judging him, measuring the length of his guts in touching his brother's hand so at ease. Feeling Itachi's stares burning onto them, Naruto abruptly yanked his grip apart, stepping down the stairs to leave. "I…I gotta go…"

There was no doubt that this was the older brother that Sasuke had spoken of, the parental figure in his life. He was suddenly reminded of his own parents and their disapproval. Perhaps it was too soon, maybe they were moving too fast. He doesn't want to get Sasuke in trouble with his family.

His leaving had caught Sasuke's attention, grabbing Naruto's wrist, he yanked back. "Wait! No, you can't leave!"

"Yes, I must! It was nothing," he turned to face Itachi who didn't look at all convinced. "We are just friends. You caught us at a weird moment, hahahaha~" He laughed nervously, putting both hands behind his head leisurely as he tried to leave the scene.

Sasuke grabbed his wrist again, refusing to let him go. "Na-Naruto… I love you, so don't leave me!" Feeling Naruto tense at his words, he turned his gazed to the side and swallowed thickly, waiting for some sort of reply. "I don't care what you think, oniisan, we are not doing anything wrong!"

Itachi had kept silent, though having his own opinion on their relationship, that was not the topic that had bothered him.

He can see it now, the ripples are getting bigger, the waves are beginning to match up. Back in the Old World, the last he saw of his brother and Naruto was when they were locked in an intimate kiss before Sasuke had left them... The same results can mimic in this world, be the length a split second or five years later, no one knows. Time might pass differently in this world. Sasuke might never even be in any eminent danger…

Even if he stop them now, it was too late. You can't turn back time in the same layer. The best action was to prevent it from happening, if that were the case.

_Maybe, it would be wise to let Sasuke know everything…_

"Sasuke, I want you to come home now. There is something I need to talk to you about…"

"No! Why do you think you can control my life? I'm going with Naruto! I'll come home when I feel like it!"

Brushing past his brother in the tightly packed fire escape, he stopped for but a split second before pulling Naruto out of there.

"You smell like sex."

Sasuke heard his brother loud and clear before slamming the door and running down the hall. Naruto running after him five steps behind.

Itachi didn't chase after them, he needn't to. Sasuke was just displaying rebellious adolescent attitude. He will come back, no doubt, there are more important things at hand that needed to be dealt with.

Already at the school, it was handy to look for this so-called Professor Orochimaru.

()-()-()-()

"Hey, you haven't said more than a few words to me all day long, and all that came out of your mouth was nonsense. What's wrong?" Now treading ten steps behind an angry Sasuke who stumped off of the campus, Naruto tried to keep up. He'd followed Sasuke as he marched across the park, up a two hundred steps hill, followed by a non-bliss jog down the hill to a convenience store.

He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Too much had happened in the last twenty-four hours. It was entirely too soon to be working up a sweat chasing his new and very grumpy boyfriend down the street, and especially since they didn't exactly had slept well for most of last night.

He stopped right in the middle of the sidewalk and folded his arms across his chest, turning around to face Naruto, who almost ran into him at the sudden stop. "We are going back to your place!"

"O…kay… So if we go back to my place, will you promise to stop acting like a psycho bitch?"

"I'm not a psycho bitch."

"Then why are you acting like this? Is it your brother? He haven't said anything even though, err, I didn't feel comfortable with the way he was looking at me… Is it me? Was it something I said?"

"Oh god, you are so dumb." Sasuke stumped off again before Naruto blocked his way with his arms stretched.

"Was it about your brother or me?"

"Both, but… No, forget it. I'll tell you later… Let's eat." He changed the topic as he sat down on a park bench nearby. Naruto followed him. Sasuke ripped open the plastic sandwich bag with his teeth while Naruto took out a sealed ramen bowl with hot water he had pour in previously at the store. "He needs to give me space. I feel like… I feel like Itachi doesn't know how to give me space. I love my brother, but just something doesn't feel right. He is…" Sasuke had lean back onto the park bench, taking a sip of his orange juice and chewing on a  _Lunch Pack_  sandwich. "He is just too protective of me, and it's irritating and I feel like there is more to it than what it seems…" He swallowed the bite and took another sip of his juice.

"Just what do you mean?" Naruto had practically sank his entire face into the ramen bowl, slurping loudly when he took another bite, flicking the soup onto Sasuke's face who wiped it away with little to no concern.

"If I told you, you would think I'm crazy."

"Well try me. I already think you're crazy." That had earned him a glare from Sasuke.

"I think I also have a twin and I think my brother had killed him and murdered our entire family." Sasuke had said it with a straight face. Naruto nearly choked on his ramen with laughter. "No, I'm serious! Just that… that does not add up either. He's been hiding secrets from me and crowding me. I don't like it."

"Do you honestly think your brother killed your entire family? If that had happened, how do you think he would have gotten away with it?"

"Well, from what I gathered, we don't have any relatives or close family friends that would come to visit, so they probably knew that mom and dad had died. Or they were all made to believe that they had died in an accident."

"Even so, why do you suspect anything? You have a house you live in with a brother that cares deeply about you. I think you should just relax, Sasuke." Naruto placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. He thought about flicking it away, but actually liked that way Naruto's hand feel on him. So warm, and comforting.

"There were these pictures, my pictures, and my family's pictures… they look—" He tried to find the right words to describe it, "—they looked out of place, even though it is impossible to photoshop them, but that's exactly it. It is impossible to photoshop them."

"Hey Sasuke, you sure you didn't hit your head or something? You are making less and less sense and I'm afraid to keep asking. If I keep asking, you might end up in a mental hospital instead of my apartment by the end of the day." Naruto got up from his seat and stretched. He tossed the trash into the waste basket next to him and reached out a hand in front of Sasuke's face for him to take. "Let's go before the loony bin finds you."

()-()-()-()

Under the ceiling reflecting the heated glow of the setting sun, a pair of blue eyes focused lazily on a moth that kept running into the sunbeam on the wall. Naruto was on his back, lying leisurely on his own bed, waiting for Sasuke to get out of the shower.

Let's be real here. His new boyfriend is totally naked and wet and taking a goddamn long shower right in his vicinity with the door open. Why hasn't he jumped him yet?

Naruto turned over to lay on his side and let out a whimpered sigh. He was not that type of person. If Sasuke had wanted him, he would naturally come to him. The worst Naruto could do in his position was to force a brain damaged person without his memories to sleep with him. Not quite as dramatic, but quite literally, that was what Naruto had wanted to do at this moment.

Sasuke'd just turned off the shower and the wet splish-splash sound of him getting out of it had caught Naruto's attention. He was wet and in nothing but a skimpy towel around his waist. Naruto didn't want to look, but he had to. Sasuke was so damn beautiful.

"It's your turn, dead-last." He put his hands around his waist, his voice playful and challenging. "Hurry up so we don't miss the concert."

Getting up slowly from the bed, he didn't try to hide his mounting front as he stepped towards Sasuke with an undeniable sparkle in his mischievous eyes.

Sasuke took a step back, "Hey, what's gotten into you?" Pushing Naruto aside not making any sultry eye contacts, and ignoring his very obvious erection trying to break free, he tried to step into the bedroom, but was held back by a strong arm.

Naruto held him, hands sliding from his slippery back down to his waist, just above the towel. "I'm sorry about today. I got cold feet when your brother showed up. We are not just friends. You were mad because of that right? You are everything to me and I love you. I'm so stupidly in love with you it's not even funny."

Sasuke was caught off-guard by Naruto's sudden display of affections, but welcomed it as he too lean into his touch. Just something about Naruto was always so comforting like an eternal warmth. Burying his face in his boyfriend's nape, he breathed in the familiar scent: a mix of ramen, menthols, and the salt from his sweat.

Nudging a knee in between, Naruto parted his thighs easily.

It was a deliberately slow and painful kiss. His back was pushed against the cool tiles of the bathroom, steam burrowed between their heated bodies, one hard and steady erection grinding up against another one equally strong.

Naruto parted their lips with his own, kissing deeply, then placing two chaste pecks on the soft curves of his face before pulling back, his nose was a hair width from Sasuke's. He took the time to look into those eyes, the dark orbs that drove him insane without self-perseverance. He paid painfully close attention to the way Sasuke had fluttered his long eyelashes, memorizing every strand of them. He hurt with the beauty of it.

"Hey Sasuke."

"What is it?"

"I'll never say we are just friends again. Was that the real reason why you were so grumpy today?" He placed another kiss on his moist cheek.

"Partly… but it's alright. I knew you were nervous because of my brother…" Sasuke turned his head away to the side, suddenly finding the fogged-up mirror to be quite an interest. "But—"

"It's not alright, and that will never happen again. Actually, I don't mind anyone knowing about us. I think if you stay by my side, I can be strong enough to face the world. Nothing will stand in our way. What do you think?"

"You know I already made this choice when I wanted to be with you. I'm not afraid of what my brother thinks, and less of what other people thinks. As long as we are together…I think—" He hesitated, but turned to look Naruto in the eyes again. "I think, if you are with me, everything will be alright. My lost memories are gone, but as long as you fill my new memories with yourself. That will be more than I could ask for."

Naruto kissed him again and he kissed back, "Then I promise that it wouldn't happen again. Sasuke, I am sure now. I'm not afraid to admit, that I'm completely in love with you."

"Promise you won't leave me?" The words came out before he could retract them. It had come out sounding more desperate than he intended them to.

A hand slipped below his waist. The towel came off easily. Coming down from his back, his hand held tightly on a flushed cheek, kneading and brushing his skin that sent goose bumps down his thighs. Their lips never parted as Naruto's hand reached lower, lifting a knee to circle around his own waist. Pressing him further up against the wall, Sasuke lifted his other leg reflexively to circle the other side. His hands rounded firmly behind Naruto's neck.

He breathed into him and took more from his mouth. He needed Naruto to breathe. Naruto was his oxygen, without him, he couldn't live.

Naruto lifted his body as they both dropped down onto the welcoming bed, Sasuke's fingers entangling in his hair. His mouth moved down his chin, long, smooth, and without sudden. His spine arched his chest into his sweet soft lips, perk nipples stood like two pink virgins begging to be pulled into the sinful hellfire in his heated cavern.

"Hey, could we…? You know…"

Sasuke felt Naruto soft hair nuzzled his stomach and swallowed the lump in his throat and sighed with satisfaction. This is life, he thought, kissing and loving Naruto.

Feeling no protest from the one below him, a single finger slipped in.

That had brought him out of his peaceful trance. His eyes flew open as he backed away, legs lifting off from his back. "Wh-what are you doing?!"

"Oh, I'm…uh…" He stuttered, looking around the room to find words to help him explain.

"That. Felt. Weird." All the lust was gone as he stared incredulously into those blue eyes. "Why? And what was that?"

"So, I read up on what we were supposed to do, and they said I'm supposed to stretch you out first before…"

"Stretch me out?" Sasuke eyed him, his mouth hung open and close, trying to find words to describe his shock.

"Yeah, we are going to have sex, right? I want to make love to you…" His coy words cannot save him as Sasuke rolled off the bed to look for his towel that was nowhere to be found, and always at the most crucial moment. Dirty clothes and empty ramen cups strewn around the room's floor. "Hey, is it weird for you?"

"Yeah, it was weird. It felt beyond weird." His eyes downcast, toes fidgeting around with a piece of lint on the carpet.

"Oh." Naruto felt rejected. "I see." Another idea came to him. "Well, would it be better for you if I bottom for you then?"

"Umm, I don't know. How about if we try again later? I think I wasn't prepared for it… I've never done that before and it was a bit of a shocker."

"Yeah, yeah, no problem. I never done it with a guy either, err, I guess it takes a bit of getting used to huh?"

Sasuke nodded. "Let's get change."

"Yeah." Naruto bounced off the bed, still a bit flustered from the earlier activities. He watched Sasuke's bare back as he was digging through his closet looking for something suitable to wear. A great idea came to him. "Hey, how about if we wear matching outfits to the concert?"

Sasuke stopped at his tip-toe, about to reach into the high drawers, and came down. He turned around slowly and grunted. "You've gotta be kidding me."

"Please…? For not getting laid?—Ow!" An old dirty sneaker landed square in Naruto's face, knocking him on his knees. An imprint of the bottom of the shoe was slowly appearing on his face. "Please? I love you…" Clasping both his hands together, and begging with the cutest look he could muster at last minute, he looked up at Sasuke with the biggest, brightest, saddest, tearful puppy dog eyes. "Sasuke-kun… please…? I'll be a good puppy today~~"

"Oh god, I think I'm going to hurl."

()-()-()-()

The concert was as amazing as always, the atmosphere of today's stage show was one of the best that they have ever seen. Yahiko's blood looked too convincing, almost real, the pained emotion that he displayed as a dark-winged Nagato flogged him across his back with a fake leather whip was the epitome of aestheticism. 6 Paths of Pain were true artists in their respective genre of romanticized gore and unconventional love stories that went hand-in-hand with their controversial style of music.

Thick, large clouds of smoke gathered heavily on the stage, hanging close to the edge like a waterfall. After coming back for two rounds from fans yelling " _An-koh-ru_  (encore)!", the lights above dimmed intermittently, which marked the end of another successful show.

As the curtain was being drawn, one bright lilac eye behind the stage had focused on the two boys leaving the mosh pit in matching outfits talking and smiling at each other before the flaps folded close.

The fans gathered outside of the concert hall as usual, chatting up on the highlights of the show and befriending like-minded people into their own close-knitted circles.

In  _Visual-Kei,_  it's a hierarchy on fashion and all about who you know. What are you? Are you a decora? Gyraru? Grunge rock? Angura Kei? You can't just walk into a concert not being a fashion victim drenched in heavy eyeliner.

Knowing people means being popular. Being Popular means being good looking. Being good looking means more opportunities to get laid. The more you get laid, the more people you know. The circle of life.

To dare walking into a concert in plain clothing was an abomination to devoted fans.

"Like, oh my freakin' gosh! You boys are so totally too cute for words!"

"What a cute couple!"

"Would you look at that, two bishounens holding hands!"

"I wonder if they sleep with each other."

"They are probably just doing that for shows cuz they want attention. Pshh."

"The one with the dark hair is like sooo hot! What a waste! He probably likes dicks."

"The blonde one is too, would you look at his muscles?"

"Their outfits really match well. Is it some kinda twin fetish thing?"

The fangirls watched and talked amongst themselves as the new couple walked through the crowd apprehensively, pairs of bright eyes look upon them as if they were on displayed, even though, it had not been the intention.

"Hi, yea, ok, coming through. Yeah…" Naruto dragged a very uncomfortable looking Sasuke through the crowd, though not entirely turn off by the attention himself.

"Maybe we shouldn't hold hands…" Sasuke tried to pry his hand away. Naruto held tight.

"It's ok, ya know, this crowd is used to this sorta things. They are open-minded people who are looking to score a look at good looking people, ya know, us." He said proudly with his head held high, waving at a few passer-bys whom he was acquainted with.

"Really now."

"Believe it."

Naruto jumped when a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.

"Yo, aren't you gonna say hi to us, Mr.  _I-disappeared-for-months_." He discarded a cigarette and crushed it with the bottom of his shoe. It was Shikamaru.

"Hey buddy, what's going on?" Forcing a nervous grin, they fist bumped in greeting. "Yeah, so how, umm, is life?"

"Let's not talk about me. Umm, let's talk about you…" His eyes drifted towards their hands, "I see someone's been busy." Croaking his head, gesturing for Chouji who was always a couple of steps behind. "Didn't know you swing that way."

"Oh yeah… well…" Taking a small side step away from Sasuke and in the process letting go of his hand, he looked around clearly agitated. He hadn't expected to have to explain himself today, even though, quite obviously...

"You, umm, Satoshi right?" Chouji stuffed a handful of chips into his mouth, the bits stuck to his face and hands as he continued to talk as if it was a socially accepted display. To be truthful, anything could be socially accepted now-a-days. He at least had the decency to wipe his greasy hand on his jacket before patting him on the back.

"Sasuke." He rolled his eyes.

"Close enough." He took another handful of chips into his mouth, chewing the crunchy junk merrily, completely in-tune and without self-awareness. Good ol' Chouji. Nobody could peer pressure him into anything—a more positive way of looking at things.

Shikamaru raised his hand into the air. "So I'm still single, anybody with me?"

Nobody raised their hands. Sasuke looked away and crossed his arms.

"Well, I guess that's that."

Shikamaru looked to Chouji who looked deeply into his bag of chips, fishing out the bottom.

"Sasuke is my…" He lowered his head and his voice to barely above a whisper. "… _boy-_ friend _."_ Emphasizing on the word 'friend' loudly. His hands found themselves repeatedly pinching the edge of his ripped skin-tight top. Nervous, as the fangirls was beginning to surround their private little conversation.

"So cute! And they are wearing matching outfits! Can you guys, umm, kiss for us?"

"Really? Umm sure, I guess."

The girls cheered as Naruto took Sasuke by surprise by landing a peck on his cheek. A cellphone camera flashed.

Caught by the indignity, Sasuke slapped his face away. "Yeah, no thank you,  _friend_. And yeah, I heard that."

"Come on, it will be cute. Plus, they like to see guys kiss." Not seeing his dismay, he leaned in again, smiling at the one who had his arm crossed who was obviously not amused.

"So at a moment's notice, I'm supposed to be like a prop for their sick fantasies about us?"

"Come on, that's not what I mean. Chill—"

"No thanks." He turned to walk away, but as he was turning, his shoulder brushed across a fast approaching person who stormed in front of Naruto, who then got way too close in between their personal space.

"Hey, hot stuff. Long time no see."

Naruto's jaw almost dropped to the ground. He felt like an idiot with drool hanging out the corner of his lips.

The tall female wiped the drool from his lips with her thumb slowly, taking in the flush on his cheeks, bathing in all of his past, present, and possible future fascination with her. She brushed a loose strand of dyed pink hair behind her ears and leaned in. She kissed him. Right on the lips.

Naruto was shocked and didn't had the wits to push her away. It was only the object of his obsession for the past couple of years. She was beautiful, just the way he'd remembered her, and even more so now that she was in a leather corset and with mesh gloves, brushing the side of his cheek like a small adored animal. "You look better, taller, and more toned. I can tell."

"Oh, yeah? I work out." He was at a lost for words.

"Oh god, not Sakura again…" Shikamaru let out a long sigh. "How troublesome."

That was their classmate, Sakura Haruno, Code Name: The Girl of His Dreams, who'd moved away to another district a couple of years ago. He'd lost count the number of times he had to convince Naruto not to send her love letters and buy her things, but somehow Naruto still found a way to appear inside her locker one day, surprising her in more than an unpleasant way, earning him a long lecture and a painfully drawled out talk at the principal's office. It was an unpleasant day for Shikamaru as well. He remembered he had to be his shoulder to cry on as he was crudely rejected, and with a month of detention as the icing on the cake.

"Sa-Sakura-chan. How have you been? I mean, wow, you look great!"

"Oh yeah?" She smiled sweetly at him, "didn't think I would see you here. But wow, Naruto-kun, you… you too. You look great." She blushed. "I'm sorry about the kiss. I guess I just couldn't help myself."

"Oh shit." The talk about the kiss suddenly reminded him of Sasuke. Looking around frantically, the brood was nowhere to be found. "Oh. Holy mother of god crap."

"What? What is it? Hey, do you want to hang out—hey! Watch it!" He pushed her aside, looking at the empty space that Sasuke was standing in.

He ran off in a hurry.

()-()-()-()

Slamming hard on the door of the bathroom stall, he locked the flimsy door with a twist of his thumb. He swear to God he's not going to cry. Taking slow breathes, with his back pressed to the limey door, he slid down in a crouch. He thought about what Naruto had said to his friends.  _Strike one._  Using him as a photo prop.  _Strike two._  Making out with some girl in front of him.  _Strike mother fuckin' three._

Naruto was everything to him. He only had Naruto, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe Naruto was not the type of person to be had. He did mention before that he fuck random girls that found him hot.

He'd been stupid to believe Naruto's lies. Naruto probably just changed his taste to men. So shallow, he couldn't believe it. Did everything Naruto have said to him thus far were just to get him into bed?

He couldn't wash away the image of that girl's lips pressed up against his man, and him receiving her lips with drool hanging from his mouth. She was pretty. Tall and skinny. Her bright emerald eyes beaming for his stupid boyfriend's attention.

He hated to keep crying and only sniffled into the back of his hand. He needed to be stronger. The world shouldn't be such a lonely place, but there he was, alone in a dark oily stall, the world was but a step out the door, but he couldn't find strength to take it. Nobody was waiting for him outside.

A creak of the door.

Somebody walked in. The sound of a zipper lowering was heard. The person hummed some tune he couldn't make out as he relieved himself into the urinal just outside. He'd finished washing his hands after he'd flushed, but the person didn't leave right away. Within moments, the smell of smoke filled the air.

"Sasuke-kun, isn't it? I've been looking for you."

The voice was familiar. The way he spoke low in his creepy intonation, dangerous and flirtatious. His words had a certain salty quality to it, as if a dirty someone with a sooty tongue had licked the words spoken before spitting it out.

He got up from his crouch and cracked open the door with a strong push, facing him was none other than the Master of Pain himself, thumbs in his pockets with a limp cigarette hanging from his mouth.

He peeked from behind his _Rayband_ , his face hidden in the shadow by a dusty cowboy hat. Nagato was by himself; Yahiko who usually dangles not a foot from his arm was nowhere to be found.

"Want one?" Nagato waved one in front of him, gesturing for him to take it.

Sasuke had thought about it for a moment. No harm. He reached for one as Nagato pulled back the cigarette. "Just kidding." He smiled. "This is the good stuff. Not your normal over the counter Seven Stars. This is rather homemade."

Sasuke let his hand dropped to his side. "Why are you here? And how did you find me?" He let his face turned to the side. Hoping under the dim yellowish lights, Nagato would not see his redden tear-streaked face.

"Hahaha…" He took his hat off to the side and combed his fingers through his hair. "Well, I saw you and thought I'll say hi. Can't I say hi to my friend?"

"Me?" Sasuke thought about it for a moment, "friend? I nearly got molested… by you and… Well, what do you want?"

"Hey hey, no need to get all defensive. We are all friends here." Nagato shifted from his pose and lean back against the wall. "The question is, why are you here all by your self crying your eyes out?"

"What—I'm not crying…" Sasuke sniffed and wiped his nose with his forefinger. "I was just resting, that's all."

"Hey kid. Look, you are not kidding me no good." He took another hit of his cigarette.

The cloud of smoke was filling up the dainty restroom and the air between them. He lifted his hand and wiped a drop from Sasuke's cheek.

"Why should you continue this game if he is hurting you."

"No, we are fine—"

"Listen to me. The game of cat and mouse—chasing and being chase is all good in the beginning, but in the end,  _Jerry_ , you're just going to be eaten alive. I kid you not." He let out a long sigh and shook his head. "We've all been there. To have love and lost… I'm the Master of Pain, I should know this." He snorted than laughed, "Yeah, I'm being stupid maybe. A handsome boy like you shouldn't be crying. You should be out having fun, whether you're with someone or not. Am I making any sense here?"

Sasuke nodded slowly.

"Do you have any place to go to right now?"

"No, nowhere. I'm going home."

"Hey, why don't you come visit us, huh? Have a few drinks and chill at our, little hideaway?" He winked.

No matter how much his heart ache for him to run back to Naruto, like he wanted to now, he shouldn't give in too easily. After all, that bastard wouldn't even admit to his friends that they were dating, nervous about the situation or not. And didn't he make a promise to him? What a jerk. That bastard deserved to be left to… to that  _girl_  and his  _friends_.

He could always find him again another day. "Sure. I guess."

"Great!" He grabbed Sasuke's hand.

He was caught off-guard, but he let the older man drag him out of the door without any protest.

And Nagato held on to his hand even when there were fans looking and chattering about them, noticing their more than friendly gesture. Nagato merely smirked and waved as they took cellphone pictures like it was a common occurrence. "Just some fan service for the rabid fans. They would go crazy if it was a girl, but if it's a guy they will just go crazy-happy." And bent down.

And kissed him.

Naruto had looked everywhere. Sasuke was nowhere to be found. He'd even looked in the backstage and the trashcan. He'd looked everywhere. "Sasuke! Where the hell are you?!" Naruto ran. He didn't care if he was leaving his friends behind, Sasuke had left him. Probably displeased about what'd happened. He cursed the timing of things. He had to admit that he was nervous and stupid not to have come out and say it loudly. Shikamaru wouldn't mind, and Chouji would not, and even if they had been, that was not going to change his mind on Sasuke. He was stupid.

Stupid. Stupid.  _Stupid_.

He ran down the streets, looking left and right, but still, Sasuke remained gone. He was not going to give up. There was still one more place Sasuke might be at. He turned the corner and ran down a dark alley.

...But he hoped Sasuke would not be there.

()-()-()-()

Slouching on the familiar couch, Nagato and Yahiko sat beside him. He darted his eyes from side to side as he took another sip of that awful, yet uniquely tasting liquor from last time. Around him they talked and laughed, a stark contrast to his contemplating self who sat quietly with the drink nestled between his fingers.

A hand dropped on his thigh. It was Yahiko.

"Why the long face, Sasuke-kun? Sasuke is it?"

"..."

"We are here to party. Here to forget." He clanked their glasses together. "And you look like you need some forgetting done."

"I'm fine."

"Yea, of course you are. Right." He picked a random poker card from a discarded deck on the table.  _The Queen of Hearts._  How befitting. He fixed the scattered powder in lines. With the rolled up money, he bent down to sniffed the powder up before his head snapped back and let out a satisfying groan.

A hand slipped up the small of Sasuke's back and to his neck as it idly found its way to his shoulder. Nagato took the rolled bill from Yahiko's hand and waved it in front of his face.

"Wanna give it a try? I'm sure Yahiko would love for you to try this. Right?"

"Oh, man, that last hit was amazing! Fuck! Kid, if you're not going to do it, it's just more for us."

Sasuke reached out to take it as Nagato snapped back the bill. "Are you sure? No running away this time." He smirked.

Sasuke snatched the bill right out of Nagato's fingers. He looked at it, rolling it around between his fingers. Naruto probably doesn't want him to do it, whatever this drug thing was, but Naruto's not here. Naruto also didn't care enough to hold his hand or to tell his friends about him. Fuck Naruto!

Mimicking Yahiko, he too bent down low right above the table, pausing, as he was just above the powder lines.

"Yep that's it, now just place this right at your nose and give it a hard sniff as you go down the line, you got me? And then it's all paradise from there on out."

Two pairs of eyes watched him, while the other party-goers were speaking loudly, paying no attention to the newcomer as he snuffed out the entire line. He coughed as the powdered drug shot straight to his brain.

It was an intense burst of energy and ecstasy he had never felt before. The room was ten times brighter even in its intermittent darkness, the incomprehensible noise that surrounded him was amusing instead of being a vexation. Their laughter turned him on. The aftertaste of the bitter liquor thawed palatably in his mouth. He no longer remembered the pain he felt previously and was thus replaced by none other but euphoria.

Two different hands were on his thighs, tracing slowly up his chest. The tingly sensation was mind-numbing but it felt good. His back was pushed against the couch. Never had he felt so relaxed and comforted in his life. A pair of lips reached him, the sensation was unbearable, lapping slowly on an exposed neck. Yahiko's kisses were like cold-hot fire burning his skin into a blissful torment. An unwired moan escaped his lips, as Yahiko's slow torture turned into a mild sucking that sends goose bumps down his throat.

Sasuke brushed his fingers through his bangs. It was getting hot in here, his skin was beginning to moisten under their solicited touches. Nagato's hand did not help the situation as he rubbed circles on his stomach under his shirt. He reached lower, unbuttoning as he do so, while tracing his hands down to play with the elastic band of his underwear.

"It's… It's hot." Sasuke finally said something as Yahiko was breathing in his ear.

"Then why don't we get rid of that stinky shirt of yours?" He whispered. In a matter of seconds, his shirt was lifted over his head and discarded somewhere. He kissed his neck. "See, this is much better."

"You have a very beautiful body, Sasuke-kun. I can't believe someone, who is an idiot, doesn't want you."

That's right. Naruto doesn't want him. His words were empty, unlike Nagato and Yahiko who cares about him.

The air cooled his moisten skin, just as heated hands sought to replace it. Yahiko's hand was on his chest, fingers glazing over his nipple that was all too willing to accept the touch. Tracing his lips down his neck, his mouth did not hesitate to land on his exposed buds. Tongue darted out to taste the sweet bud that perked up deliciously, waiting for more. Circling around the erected nipple, he sucked on it, soft at first, bringing the most delightful mewls from his willing victim, then harder he went. Sasuke panted harder and louder as Nagato dipped his hands under his elastic band, the very fabric that was holding him shameless against his sultry fingers that could dance fire on his throbbing heat.

Pulling the thin fabric down, his member sprang out from its constraints, velvety and glistering with pre-cum, that was immediately replaced by Nagato's hand sliding up and down his length, unearthing the head of his penis by pulling back the foreskin while doing so. Soon, Yahiko's hand sneaked its way down his stomach to join with Nagato's hand, interlocking their fingers together while they slide up and down, and up and down, alternating between painfully slow jerking movements to fast hard pumping.

Some on-lookers stopped what they were doing to take a peek at them before going about their conversations, others stared and stared and stared at the erotic scene that was set in front of them. But they all knew that no one were allow to disturb Nagato and Yahiko when they'd found a new toy to play with.

Sasuke was losing control, something inside him was screaming to be let out. Yahiko was a God that could suck the life out of him from his nipple, his mouth left to suck on the other as a new wave of ecstasy shot at him from the other side. Nagato too found his mouth on his chest and began to suck on the other one. Sasuke was helplessly in bliss with both pairs of lips on his chest simultaneously.

Licking up a wet trail from his chest, Nagato plunged his tongue into his wide panting lips. Sasuke closed his eyes, marveled at all these different sensation all at once. He sucked eagerly at the dominating tongue that wanted nothing but to reach deeper. Soft fingers circling the sensitive head of his penis, he felt like the end was near as he nearly burst. They moved faster down below. He sucked harder on Nagato's tongue. Yahiko mouthing his taut nipple into a blushing mount.

Something snapped in him as he let lose all his regression that he'd held back. Their hands were fast, messily tugging at his length, his hips trembled wildly as he came, his screams swallowed by a pair of lips clasped tightly over all the air that bid to escape. He came again, all his tensions released, covering unattended fingers that were still moving on him, milking him until the very last drop had squirted out from his urethra, coating his contracting stomach muscles.

His head had found its way at the crock of Nagato's neck, breathing heavily. That had sent the most bemusing sensations down the man's spine.

Nagato lifted his hand with the young man's essence and placed a finger in his mouth. The boy tasted good.

"Yahiko, he came a lot, so there was plenty to go around." He smirked as Yahiko took in his fingers willingly, sucking on two digits covered in Sasuke's cum.

Sasuke watched as the two men kissed above him, his own semen dripping between their lips, their tongues each darting out to catch the falling drops—none gone to waste.

"Let him taste himself." Yahiko nodded. Scooping with two fingers brushing across his stomach, Yahiko then placed them in Sasuke's lips.

"Go on, try it. You taste sweet." Nagato coxed.

Half-dazed by his release, Sasuke obeyed, sucking on Yahiko's digits.

"Good boy… that's it. How do you taste?" He pulled his fingers out, a sticky trail was left hanging from the corner of his mouth to Yahiko's finger.

"Salty… and…"

"Sweet right?"

Sasuke nodded.

"We want to make you feel even better…" Nagato said.

"What do you mean?"

A look was passed between them as they both descended upon his lips. Nagato licked the corner of his mouth, not letting that runaway drop go to waste. His lips were pried open by Yahiko's tongue just as his hands moved again to his stomach. Nagato's hand too moved in that direction, both taking a copious amount in their fingers. Sliding down his stomach, to his groin and then cupping the bottom of his balls, the fingers pursued further south. A pair of fingers put pressure on his perineum while another pair of fingers were circling around his wrinkled pucker opening. Their lips never left his.

One finger slipped a tip in. "Wow, so tight, Sasuke-kun had never had anal sex?"

Sasuke shook his head, all words were at a lost to him as he let the pleasure of his body take over.

"Sweetness, I can't wait to stretch his virgin ass with my cock." Hands pulled his underwear down as his thighs spread naturally, easing his hips into their too-skilled touches.

The sound of the door unlocking was heard as commotion begin to rise. The party-goers yelled obscenities like a fight was about to break out. Everyone who was not having sex or preoccupied with something raunchy was at their feet. Hands flew in the air to hold the one that had burst through the door by punching his way in. They were no match for him as they were all intoxicated to some degree or another.

Naruto had overheard a pair outside the door talking about Nagato's new "toy". When he asked them about the boy's identity, they had pushed him away. Nobody pushes Naruto. They'd chosen the wrong person to mess with for this fine evening.

He looked inside the room, smoke filled the air to some degree or another, eyes searching for the boy that he loved so much.

"Sasuke!" A punch landed on some dude's face with a terrible attitude, another one landed on a skinnier dude who was trying to block his way to the lounging area. "Sasuke, where are you?!"

The others have stayed back. After beating up five grown men by himself, nobody dared to touch him as they let him through with ease. The girls furrowed their brows at him, more annoyed than angry, while the men pretend to walk outside to smoke to save their own pride.

He was not prepared for this, in front of him, underneath Nagato and Yahiko's lips, was a very nearly-naked, completely exposed Sasuke being worked on by their hands.

At the sudden silence that washed throughout the room in uncomforting waves, they stopped their preparation over Sasuke's body. Nagato first turned his head, then Yahiko followed. A very angry blonde had punched Yahiko square in the face.

"Get off of my boyfriend!" Naruto roared.

"Naruto!" Sasuke's eyes flew open. He noticed Naruto staring at his thighs as he moved his hands to cover his shame. "Naruto… I…I…!"

Yahiko winced in pain, but didn't back down as he stood up in front of Sasuke, facing Naruto with hands on his hips. "Your boyfriend? Oh really now. Then maybe you should have taken better care of him than to have him run off with us."

"Did you guys drug him? Oh my god, you did, didn't you?" Naruto tried to push Yahiko aside, but Nagato too stood up in front of Sasuke. "You bastards…"

Nagato placed a hand over his shoulder in a gentle push. "You should stop hurting your boyfriend then, or else he's going to come to us."

He gave Nagato a hard push as the man fell back down on the couch.

A hand flew to grab his wrist as he was trying to land a punch on Nagato. "Sorry, but I wouldn't allow you to hurt  _my_  boyfriend."

"So it's true that weren't just for show."

"Yahiko, stop." He had already made himself comfortable on the couch again, a cigarette in his mouth, he lighted it. "Let it be."

"But, he-!"

"No buts. Let him take his  _boyfriend_  home. His  _boyfriend_  will come looking for us when he needs us. And you know, they always come back for more." Nagato smirked as he puffed out some smoke.

"Next time, if you try to land a finger on my boyfriend, I will rip you a new asshole."

"Same to you.  _Two_  new assholes."

Naruto yanked his hand away and pushed between them. Sasuke was still undressed and slumped heavily on the couch, with one hand over his privates while the other was resting on his forehead, pulling back his sweaty bangs.

Yahiko turned and headed towards the direction of the restroom while Nagato lounge around on the space next to Sasuke, eyeing the ceiling and smokining. His erection throbbing painfully, wanting release.  _Yahiko is so getting fucked tonight._

Working quickly he pulled Sasuke's pants up. With Sasuke's shirt hanging on his shoulder, they stumbled out of there as fast as they could.

The moon was fading as dawn began to take over.

He supported Sasuke's body as best as he could, as he was still high from whatever that drug was that they did. They will not make it to his apartment in Sasuke's condition. He hailed for a taxi passing by to stop and take them home.

()-()-()-()

They stumbled up the stairs and through the door. He didn't even bother taking off his shoes when he placed Sasuke on his bed.

"Naruto… Nar—Why did you come?" He drawled breathily at each word. "Why did you come for me?"

"You bastard, that's because I love you. You are so stupid to get kidnap! Promise me you won't run away from me again, gawd!" Naruto lightly punched his arm. "You are ok, right?"

"But you don't love me…" He placed the back of his hand on his eyes obscuring the tears that were falling. "You don't love me. You love that stupid girl and your stupid friends."

"Hey, I'm sorry… Oh gawd, Sasuke…. That—about that, I'm really truly, sorry. I'll explain later, but you need rest…" Naruto placed a kiss on his forehead and another.

Sasuke couldn't feel anything, his sensitive skin had turned blunt with the numbing sensation of the drug still in effect. He tried to stand up, but fell back down onto the bed instead. "Naruto…"

"Yes?"

"I went to him willingly. I wanted him to fuck me…" His tears continued to fall.

"What…?" He couldn't believe his ears as he looked at Sasuke's face for any tell-tale signs of lying. There wasn't any. "What…? Why?!"

"I wanted them to use me and take my virginity. They never forced me!"

"Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!" Naruto felt his heart wrenched to each of his words. It's not true. Sasuke cannot love other people besides him.

"He didn't kidnap me, I wanted to be fuck like a whore!"

"Shut up! Shut up! I won't hear any more of this, you're high!"

"Nagato held my hand and kissed me in front of everyone and I loved every moment of it!" He wanted to make Naruto angry, furious for betraying his love for him in front of his friends. He wanted Naruto to feel the burn and suffer like he did. "He made me taste my own cum and I liked it!"

"Shut up!" Naruto slapped him. After it'd happened he knew he shouldn't have done it.

His eyes flew open. Never did he thought that Naruto will hit him, but he did. No more words came out. Only the sound of heavy breathing was audible in the closed window room. A long silence passed between them as Naruto stared at his tear stricken face.

He wanted to open his mouth to say sorry, but his lips only moved awkwardly. He couldn't believe Sasuke went so far to get back at him for a small mistake. He had to admit that he was wrong, but he could have explained himself if Sasuke didn't disappear. All these emotions, they all clawed at his throat that was lumping dryly as he swallowed.

Naruto finally spoke after long minutes, his voice harsh but breathy. There was a dangerous sparkle in his eyes. "You wanted to be fuck like a whore?" Hands moved down his front. A button popped open and then a zipper was pulled down. "I'll fuck you like a dirty whore that you are."

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._ **

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, there are still a few mysteries that haven't been solved yet, Sasuke doesn't know, but we know, don't we? Later on, as Sasuke was beginning to discover Itachi's secret, he will stumble onto one that even Itachi didn't know. Hiding it, turning the tables on him.
> 
> Reviews appreciated! *heart heart heart* I'm losing my will in writing this. Each chapter grows increasingly harder to write than the last. Remember how I used to update a chapter a day? Well, I miss those days too... X0x;;;

**Author's Note:**

> Comments will be a fic writer's greatest gift! Please feed me and tell me what you think :3


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